Violent times: Four suspected militants killed in raid on den in Swabi

Two terrorists arrested in city, confess to involvement in Imamia Mosque attack .

CHARSADDA/ SWABI/PESHAWAR:

Four alleged militants were killed in an encounter in Swabi early Wednesday morning. The same day, the counter-terrorism department (CTD) said it arrested two terrorists in the provincial capital who were said to be involved in the Imamia Mosque attack which took place in February.

According to DPO Javed Iqbal Marwat, intelligence reports led Swabi police and CTD officers to raid a suspected militants’ den in Ajmer, a mountainous area near Mainai. Instead of surrendering, the men opened fire. The officers responded in kind and the ensuing shoot-out lasted for three hours in which the suspected militants used Kalashnikovs and hand grenades.

Officials said four of the men were killed while the rest managed to escape. Two of the offenders were identified as Hazrat Bilal and Liaqat from Peshawar; Muhammad Zeb from Mohmand Agency and Abbas from Mainai, Swabi.

A subsequent search operation resulted in the arrest of 35 suspects.

The DPO said efforts were under way to cast a wide enough net to catch the remaining militants. An FIR was registered at Topi police station.

Sectarian militancy

The CTD foiled another potential sectarian attack planned for Muharram in Peshawar. According to a handout, as a result of a long investigation, two suspected terrorists were arrested from Phase VII, Hayatabad on Wednesday.

A civilian intelligence agency and CTD had been investigating a terrorist group which was known for sectarian attacks as well as attacks on police and security forces. The group reportedly carried out at least 20 attacks in the past.

After confirming the groups involvement and that it was active, CTD started monitoring routes in Phase VII, Hayatabad which were being used to enter the city from Khyber Agency said the statement.

The monitoring finally proved fruitful when three potential suspects were observed entering the city through a damaged part of the boundary wall in Hayatabad.

Encounter

On Wednesday when the suspected terrorists breached the boundary, counter-terrorism personnel attempted to arrest them. One of the three managed to escape into Khyber Agency, taking refuge there.

However, the other two were arrested. They were in possession of a large plastic bag. When frisked and searched, the CTD officers found two TT pistols, four hand grenades, two walkie-talkie sets and one explosive device.

Reign of terror

After initial interrogation of the two arrested, the CTD confirmed they were wanted by various law-enforcement agencies in at least 20 cases of terrorism. These include the deadly Imamia Mosque attack in which the accused allegedly helped prepare explosive jackets and provided shelter to the attackers. At least 23 people were killed in the siege on Imamia Mosque on February 13. Investigation into that attack had revealed at least one of the assailants was from Khyber Agency.

The CTD handout stated the men also killed three Shias in May, including a father and son. The terrorists were also said to be behind six attacks on Nato containers in 2013. An IED attack which injured an army major and the murder of Nasir Bagh SHO was also attributed to be their handiwork.

The two men admitted they had planned to orchestrate attacks along the pattern of the Imamia Mosque siege during Muharram.

Explosives in a mosque

Another potential terror bid was foiled when the police found 25kgs of explosives in a prayer leader’s room in a mosque in Charsadda. DPO Shafiullah Khan told the media they raided a mosque in Pala Dherai and found the explosives, two hand grenades, 10-metre-long primacord, six remote-controlled devices, 14 remote bombs and two SIMs.

Shafiullah said the imam fled before the raid however, a search is under way.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2015.