Security officials believe Sheikh Adil’s associates are involved in attack on Benazir’s convoy. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
Law-enforcement agencies have detained a suspected al Qaeda-linked terrorist for plotting an attack on the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) office in Sukkur, officials said.
Five suicide bombers had attacked the ISI’s regional office in Sukkur on July 24 this year, killing at least four officials and injuring 35 others.
According to the police, the suspect, Sheikh Adil Azeem, belongs to the Ahmad Farooq group – a militant faction linked with al Qaeda, and was taken into custody from Baloch Colony, Karachi, on Friday.
Addressing a press conference, SSP South Muneer Ahmed Shaikh said the police on a tip-off, conducted a raid at the hideout and arrested Azeem.
During interrogation, the accused confessed that he was a part of the team that planned the attack on the ISI office for releasing two associates detained by the agency, sources said.
He also revealed that two other members of his group, Talat and Zafar, had abetted the plot. According to sources, Azeem revealed that the plan was finalised in a mosque situated in Karachi.
Police and intelligence officials believe Azeem’s two associates are also linked with the attack on former premier Benazir Bhutto’s convoy in Karsaz on October 18, 2007. The accused said he had been offered a role in this attack, but declined.
Since 2007, Talat and Zafar have gone off the radar and intelligence officials have confirmed their constant search for the two suspects.
Security officials believe most members of this group received training from Afghanistan and that Azeem is an explosives expert.
Sources familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune that Karachi police officials had contacted intelligence agencies and sought help for arresting other members of this group.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2013.
COMMENTS (3)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1732569774-0/Baymax-(2)1732569774-0-165x106.webp "article")
Excellent job! Let's hope the judiciary convicts him.
"According to sources, Azeem revealed that the plan was finalised in a mosque situated in Karachi." Unfortunately, the religious, communal, and social use of the mosque has now seen conversion for anti-social uses, like intrigues, controversies, insurgency, and ammunition and weapons storage. The mullah for all he knows behaves as a 'know-it-all' and is primarily responsible for this mess in Pakistan. Salams
Can we know which mosque is abetting such activities? Why are we not shaming or naming these clerics under whose nose such activities are going on. Why haven't we heard our law enforcement agencies raiding these seminaries.
Unless and until we start doing this, this monster will continue to grow.
For ages we know that certain seminaries have been involved in jihadi activities. Yet we ignore and become apologists, eg. Red Mosque. People and media were crying at that time for the government to take action. When government did, we became apologist. Now same people who were told to act, stand accused. Hypocrisy!!!