Paramilitary soldiers stand near bomb-making material which was seized by security forces in Quetta August 21, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
QUETTA: Frontier Corps (FC) said Wednesday that a car bomb factory where troops confiscated more than 100 tones of chemicals had been used in recent attacks on troops and the Shia community.
Paramilitary troops found wires, detonators and mixers to turn the chemicals into bombs during Tuesday's raid in Quetta.
Eleven people have now been arrested in connection with the case and the owner of the compound has been detained for questioning, said a spokesman for FC.
Suspects told investigators that potassium chlorate and ammonium chlorate had been packed with wires and detonators into vehicles at the compound, a paramilitary official said.
Experts believe the compound was effectively a bomb-making factory, which had prepared explosives used in recent bomb attacks on military targets and Shias.
"We have recovered a machine which is basically a mixer, used to mix chemicals to make bombs. We have recovered sulphur and hundreds metre of wire," said the FC spokesman.
"We have also recovered 79 remote controls and short circuit wires. Some 20,000 kilograms of explosive were ready at the factory and just needed to be fitted into vehicles," he added.
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@Javed:
Seeing how they were also going to target the minority Pakistani Shias as well (had they not targeted the military earlier too, maybe there would not have been an urgent action or attempt to unearth such a stockpile), I'd take the analytically correct Raj-USA's words any day, over the ad hominem attack of a majority Pakistani who wastes time in obsessing on anti-Indian prejudiced narratives, chasing false Indian conspiracies and bogeymen, when every other sane person has realized the global and local Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Sunni extremist militant threats. We cannot afford to lose more lives due to such delusions and hypocrisies any more.
Burn it please before these terrorists reclaim their possession!
As usual all alleged will be acquitted in court of law due to prosecutors would fail to prove.
@Javed Indians don't go to US because they feel unsafe in India. Pakistanis go to US because they know they will get blown in a bomb blast today or tomorrow inside Pakistan. Actually only half of those Pakistanis go to US; Some of them seek asylum or are admitted into Canada due to serious human rights abuses, and the rest are floating somewhere on boats near Australia as refugees trying to find a better life in some other country. Jokes on you buddy. Raj was referring to the possible link to terrorist networks inside Pakistan itself, he wasn't blaming normal Pakistanis. Stop making everything an anti-India issue.
It is hard to feel sorry for these extremists who continue to wreak havoc upon the nation. Time after time we find these homegrown insurgents threatening the safety of the nation. We applaud the Pakistani forces for sending a stern message to these enemies of peace. We are working hard on both sides of the border to negate the threat of terrorism. Our partnership with Pakistan is based on our shared principles against terrorism. Our common belief against terrorism has allowed us to overcome many obstacles and challenges in our decade long partnership. Pakistan has been a key ally in the fight against terror, and we hope to remain unified against those who are working against our peace efforts in the region.
Ali Khan DET, United States Central Command
@Raj - USA: Words of an Indian who himself is living in the USA and thinks that India is the most peaceful nation in the world, joke of the day!
Whats more important is they tell us the origin of the explosive. Such a huge amount is unbelievable, and we must know how it made its wayminto Pakstan and to the terrorists.
The real question being that how and from where did such a large quantity of explosives get in?
It is interesting to see all the big culprits are operating right under the nose of securities in big cities but still it taking ages to get them. This shows total failure of so called more then 2 dozens intelligence agencies and lost of valuables life.
Looks like the blue containers have the labels of the manufacturer. The cardboard boxes are also intact. So, it should be very easy to trace the manufacturer. I do not think India is involved as with all these information, Pakistan's authorities would have definitely disclosed it to everyone. To me, it looks like a local manufacturer in Pakistan who manufactured these chemicals. They should also be knowing that it is being used for terror activities as it is a substantial quantity.
Tunda must have given extensive training to many such groups. Pakistan keeps on bringing in terrorists from all over the world and they finally end up training terror groups that attack Pakistan itself.
100 tons!?! How did they expect to keep such a large amount undetected? Must have bought out someone on the inside of secutiry apparatus.
Respect and honor for FC.
Job Well done Brothers, now don't just stop here. Link the clues, nab the bigger fish whether in HINDUSTAN or AFGHANISTAN or UK or SwitzerLand or USA.....unearth the face of killer and their supporter.........If you just stop now, all the effort will go back to zero.
May Allah bless you and PAKISTAN.
Few months back there was similar news about capturing 100 tons of explosives. Is this the same stock or different one? Its normal in Pakistan to show same captured stock of narcotics, explosives, weapons and smuggled goods to media and earn some praise.
this means now authorities means business after lot of blood shed and compromises,also clean sleeves please for more effectiveness.