Pakistan

Bhara Kahu foiled terror bid: Prime suspect sent on 3-day physical remand

Hammad Adil was arrested during a raid in the Sabzi Mandi area in early hours of Monday morning.

Waqas Naeem September 17, 2013

Hammad Adil was arrested during a raid in the Sabzi Mandi area in early hours of Monday morning. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

ISLAMABAD:

Law enforcement authorities have arrested the prime suspect in connection with an explosives-laden car that was seized by the police near Bhara Kahu around two weeks ago.

Hammad Adil was arrested during a raid in the Sabzi Mandi area in the early hours of Monday morning. The police believe Adil was plotting a car bombing in Islamabad.

The Bhara Kahu police produced him before a judicial magistrate on Monday, after which he was sent on a three-day physical remand.

The police had conducted a raid at a house in the Adil Heights area of Phulgaran — a few kilometres from Bhara Kahu — on August 30 and seized a car that was rigged with 170 kilogrammes of explosives. The car was recovered from the house of Adil, who, according to the police report, escaped when he saw the police.

Sources claimed the police had detained Adil, but when they found out he was the brother of a well-reputed police officer, they let him go and allowed the police officer to talk to Adil.

However, in the First Information Report (FIR), the police maintained that Adil had escaped the scene by jumping over the back wall of his residence as his house was being raided.

Explosives hidden in the car’s doors and the CNG cylinder were ready to be blown up by a remote control, according to the police. They claimed the car could have been used in a car bombing within the capital.

The Bhara Kahu police had booked Adil, who is the brother of a senior Punjab police officer, for carrying explosives under sections 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act. Another unidentified person was nominated in the FIR.

A laptop was recovered from the house and sent for analysis after the August 30 raid. Police investigations have revealed Adil had ties with a militant outfit and that his accomplice may have been involved in previous incidents of terrorism.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2013.