Terror bid foiled : Suicide attack plotter arrested in Karachi

KARACHI:

Police claimed on Thursday to have foiled an Eidul Azha terror bid in the city by arresting a top plotter of suicide blasts known to have brainwashed youths in carrying out attacks on various government and defence installations.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said it has arrested the Karachi boss of Tehreek-e-Imaraat-e-Islamia Afghanistan from Orangi Town. According to the CTD officials, Omar Hayat alias Mavia Darwesh, was arrested during an intelligence based raid. Two suicide jackets and two bombs were also recovered from his possession. Darwesh was planning a suicide attack on Eidul Azha prayers, CTD SSP Junaid Shaikh told the media. “He had finalised plans for carrying out the attack when we arrested him,” he explained.

According to SSP Shaikh, “Darwesh is a mastermind of preparing youth for suicide bombings.”

Recently, the accused plotted a major attack on Kamra by dispatching two suicide bombers who aborted the mission due to strict surveillance by security forces, he said.  The accused has also been involved in attacks on security forces in tribal areas where he killed at least 15 soldiers of the Pakistan army.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th,  2015.