Islamabad DIG recommends formation of JIT to probe capital suicide attack

The Islamabad deputy inspector-general has recommended the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the suicide bombing in the federal capital's Sector I-10, in a letter to the inspector-general.

A suicide attacker, riding a cab with a woman, blew himself up when four bike riding cops of Eagle Squad intercepted them at Sector I-10/4 Friday morning, killing a police official and injuring another cop and seven civilians.

In the letter, the DIG sought the formation of an eight-member JIT headed by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) senior superintendent of police. Meanwhile, it has been proposed that three deputy superintendent-level officials, and two officials from intelligence agencies be part of the JIT.

Cop martyred in capital suicide attack

After the suicide attack, the CTD launched a probe into the matter after registering an FIR, to make headway to the terrorist outfit involved in the attack.

The Islamabad police were on high alert after getting information from sensitive intelligence agencies that a gang of terrorists have entered Islamabad to target sensitive installations, prime political personalities, top government figures, religious places and Churches on the occasion of Christmas, an officer said.

Four bike-riding Eagle Squad cops led by Head Constable Adeel Hussain, with Constables Muhammad Hanif, Muhammad Yousaf and Muhammad Bilal, were on duty at East Service Road of I-10 when they noticed a suspicious cab bearing registration number LEI-7793, a man and a woman on board. 

The cops flagged the cab to stop but the driver sped away towards I-10, the police sources said and added that the Eagle Squad started chasing the cab and got them in front of Street No 31 of I-10/4 and rushed towards the vehicle but the terrorists blew them up. The body parts of the terrorists and parts of the cab scattered hundreds of meters away from the crime scene.

An eyewitness said that he saw mangled remains of a vehicle on fire was surrounded by several security personnel. The Islamabad police said that a major terror attack was averted.

Head constable Adeel Hussain was martyred in the suicide blast averting a major attack and massive casualties by his timely action against the suicide attackers, the top operational officers said.

The CTD sources said that the terrorists entered Islamabad from Rawalpindi at about 9:45am with heavy explosive material, while the male suicide attacker was wearing suicide jacket, adding that the terrorists used a cab bearing registration No LEI-7793, 1991 Model which was registered on the name of Syed Sajjad Haider Shah hailing from Chakwal.

The CTD has started hunting the cab owner and the other suspects involved in the terrorist activity in the federal capital. 

“A prime suspect has been marked and a comprehensive crackdown has been kicked off in and around Islamabad,” sources maintained.

The CTD and sensitive intelligence agencies, have initiated a crackdown on the anti-state elements in the jurisdiction of Tarnol and Sangjani police stations arresting two suspects and recovering a huge cache of arms and ammunition from their possession. The CTD is conducting raids in the marked areas and hideouts to eliminate terrorist outfits from the federal capital, the CTD said.