Five suspected terrorists remanded in CTD custody

The anti-terrorism courts’ administrative judge on Tuesday remanded five suspects in the custody of the Counter Terrorism Department on charges of attacking law enforcers and possessing illicit weapons and explosives.

The suspects, Bismillah, Zahidullah, Muhammad Qasim, Gul Muhammad and Inamullah, were arrested after an encounter in Shah Latif Town in the wee hours of Monday, according to the investigation officer.

He added that the suspects worked for Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) and India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and were planning to carry out a major terrorist activity in Karachi.

He said the CTD, acting on a tip-off from a federal intelligence agency, raided their hideout where a gunfight ensued after which these five suspects were arrested, while their accomplice, Laal Muhammad, was killed.

He added that four Kalashnikovs, 12 magazines, 500 bullets, three suicide jackets, a rickshawladen with explosives, 12 detonators, 13 explosive blocks, 12 hand grenades and maps of key installations were seized from the hideout.

He requested the judge to grant him two-week physical remand of the suspects for interrogation and completion of investigation and other legal formalities. The judge however approved the remand till February 20 and sought a progress report at the next hearing.

On Monday, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah had said that according to the preliminary information, most of the members of the group were believed to be from Afghanistan. CTD chief DIG Omar Shahid Hamid said that after intelligence was shared with them, CTD officer Raja Umer Khattab was directed to accompany personnel of the federal intelligence agency to conduct a raid in the Shah Latif area.

He said that when the team of officials arrived in the locality, the terrorists opened fire on them, resulting in a shootout. He said the officials arrested six terrorists, including one in an injured condition, and took over their hideout.