Suspected SRA terrorist arrested from Jamshoro: CTD SSP

KARACHI: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed to have arrested a suspected terrorist belonging to banned Sindh Revolutionary Army (SRA), involved in various terrorist activities.

During a press conference in Hyderabad on Wednesday, SSP CTD Asif Ahmed Bughio disclosed that the arrested suspect Muneer Abro was an operational commander of banned Sindh Revolutionary Army (SRA), with a training history in Afghanistan with Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

“He was held in an intelligence based operation from Jamshoro district,” said the SSP, adding that Abro also had multiple identities, including Musawir, Noor, Navid, Molvi, Sain and Vijay. The suspect received training from Afghanistan and India and was an expert at making IEDs and using different kinds of weapons and making IEDs, he said.

The suspect had allegedly carried out attacks on the law enforcement agencies, religious parties and Chinese nationals in different parts of the country. He was also involved in Quaidabad, Karachi blast back in 2018, which claimed three lives.

The department also traced his involvement in other IED blasts at different sites, including Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro, 2012; transmission line in Shikarpur, 2013; Giddu Chowk in Hyderabad, 2014 and railway tracks in Karachi, Hyderabad and Tandojam, 2015.

Besides, he attempted to target Jamaat-ud-Dawa rally in Hyderabad, 2016, but the security agencies foiled the bid. In addition, the suspect also placed IEDs in three different locations, including a saline drain in Jamshoro, WAPDA colony Jamshoro and Jamaat-e-Islami’s train march but the devices did not explode, claimed the SSP during the presser.

SSP CTD added that he had also attacked the vehicles of Chinese nationals in Sukkur and Jamshoro in 2016, but Chinese nationals and their vehicle remained unscathed. Last year the suspected terrorist carried out two explosions on the electricity transmission lines in Jamshoro.

“The suspect is the close associate of SRA’s commander Asghar Shah. He remained in contact with SRA’s leaders Zulfiqar Khaskheli, Mashooq Qambrani and Noor Chandio,” said the SSP said.

“During interrogation, he confessed to have carried out attacks on the directions of his commanders,” said SSP Bughio, adding the terrorist outfit was receiving funding from neighbouring countries.

According to the SSP, during suspect’s three-month training in Afghanistan in 2012, he met Abdul Razzak, Aslam Achoo, Capt Rehman and Capt Sikandar. Abro also travelled to India for training and stayed there for 52 days. He was accompanied by Mansoor Dayo alias Insaf, Gul Sher and Asghar Shah. The SSP said Abro has also disclosed identities of the trainers.

The SSP quoted the suspect to have told the police that the RAW and NDS gave them tasks to destroy peace in Pakistan and to thwart CPEC project. Shah was sending them Rs1.8 to Rs2 million per month, which was received by Sorath Lohar in Pakistan. Another suspect, Inam Abbassi, also received cash support from Shah and recruited terrorists.

The CTD recovered a grenade, 0.75 kg of explosives, three electronic detonators, ball bearings, a fake NIC card and Rs500.