Rangers arrest three ‘RAW-trained terrorists’

Paramilitary force says the members of ‘notorious militant wing’were involved in several attacks in Karachi

Karachi

Three men, allegedly target killers trained by the Indian intelligence agency Research and Analyst Wing (RAW), were arrested by Rangers in a raid in Usmanabad, Garden, the paramilitary force said on Wednesday.

A Rangers spokesperson said Fahim alias Mirchee, Nasir alias Khaji and Riaz alias Lakar were rounded up after a brief encounter and their weapons were seized.

The three men were taken to the paramilitary force’s headquarters and on Wednesday morning, produced before an anti-terrorism court. The court endorsed the apprehension order issued under Section 11-EEEE of Pakistan Protection Act and permitted the preventive detention of the three accused for 90 days.

Giving details about the three men, the spokesperson said Fahim was a member of a notorious militant wing of Ranchor Lane Sector’s Unit-30. He was trained by RAW in India. During interrogation, Fahim disclosed that in August, 1994 he went to Sri Lanka from Karachi via plane where he met with terrorists Mursaleen and Shafi and stayed there for a few days.

Later, they went to Bangkok and were received by Feroze Fauji. In Bangkok, he also met with terrorists Tahir alias Lamba, Tahir alias Tara, Rashid Chitta, Riaz Lakar, Shafi Dhobi, Nasir Khaji, and Naeem.

Afterwards, they all went to New Delhi, India via plane where they were received by RAW agent Parkash who took them to their quarters.

These men were taken to Delhi C-9 in a coaster, then to Haryana and finally to Dehradun at RAW’s training camp.

There, they were trained to operate weapons including rocket launchers, light machine guns, Kalashnikovs, pistols, and grenades. They were also trained to make parcel bombs, time bombs, petrol bombs and preparing explosives using soap.

After their training completed, they were sent back to Karachi, where they were assigned to train others.

The Rangers spokesperson said Fahim was involved in ball bombs attacks at Ranchore Lane Bazaar, Usmanabad, Allah Mehar Chowk, Ramswami, Kharadar, Wazir Mansion, Kharadar and police posts.

He also confessed that in 2001, on the instructions of Saeed alias Bharam, he had carried out a motorcycle bomb attack in the Tariq Road area. In 1993, he attacked the Sindh secretariat with a rocket launcher.

Fahim also said he had attacked the police Garden headquarters with a rocket launcher. He was also involved in a plan to carry out an attack on the Karachi central prison.

Fahim confessed to murdering 12 people including police officials, activists of a rival party and a police informer. He was also involved in China-cutting.

The spokesperson said Nasir Khaji was a member of a notorious militant wing of Lyari Sector’s Unit-32. He too was a RAW-trained terrorist. He confessed to killing four people including activists of a rival party as well as his own.

Nasir was also involved in snatching hides and extorting traders.

The Rangers spokesperson said Riaz Lakar belonged to a notorious militant wing’s Lyari Sector Unit-31. H too was a RAW-trained terrorist and had murdered dozens of people including those members of his rival group and activists of religious parties. He was also involved in kidnapping.

In 1995, Riaz had lobbed a grenade at Machis Gali on Nishtar Road and several people were injured in the explosion.

He carried out attacks to create panic among citizens so that his party’s strike calls could be successful.

He also confessed to lobbing grenades at Lea Market and other Baloch-dominated areas. He extorted traders and citizens and forcibly collected fitra.

‘TTP terrorists’

The civil judge (West-VI) remanded two suspected terrorists of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Fahad alias Javed Mulla and Muhammad Arsalan, in the counter-terrorism department’s custody for two days.

Earlier, the court was informed that the two men were Taliban militants and involved in terrorist activities and other heinous crimes.