Risky business: Man arrested for issuing SIMs used in Peshawar carnage

Attique confessed to issuing SIMs at franchise owner’s behest.

LAHORE: Police and intelligence agencies claimed on Saturday to have arrested a man wanted for issuing SIMs that had been used in the Peshawar carnage.

An official of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) told The Express Tribune  that Attique, a manager at a franchise of a cellular company in Gulberg area, had issued SIMs used in the December 16 terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar.

He said he had taken the thumb impressions of people more than once at a biometric machine after telling them that the machine had failed to recognise the impressions.

The official said he had issued several SIMs after obtaining the impressions. He said Attique had confessed to doing this during interrogation.

The official said he had obtained the impressions and issued the SIMs at the behest of the franchise owner. He said the SIMs had been sent to Hasilpur. Later they had been used in the Peshawar carnage.

The official said Attique had been arrested after four suspects nabbed from Hasilpur in connection with the massacre on December 20 by intelligence agencies had revealed information during interrogation.

The official said raids were being conducted to arrest the absconding owner of the franchise.

Another official told The Express Tribune that it had been established that the SIMs had been issued by the franchise. He said it had not been ascertained whether or not the suspects had abetted the massacre and were cognisant of the plan.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2015.