LeJ sleeper cell incharge Dildaar killed in shootout

Four accomplices held in CTD’s Korangi raid;huge cache of arms and explosives seized

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed shooting dead the incharge of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s sleeper cell in the city and arrested his four associates in a pre-dawn raid in a Korangi neighbourhood on Monday. 

Dildaar alias Chacha and his accomplices were said to be involved in a number of terrorist activities since 2010, including attacks on the CTD Civil Lines building and the residence of slain SSP Chaudhry Aslam in the Defence area. The names of the four suspects have not been disclosed because swoops for the arrest of other alleged terrorists are under way.

Just when a team of cops belonging to the CTD’s Transnational Terrorist Intelligence Group (TTIG), led by Raja Umer Khattab, closed in on a house in Korangi’s Mehran Town, they came under fire from terrorists. The police returned fire and, after a brief encounter, arrested four men, one of them in an injured condition, while an unspecified number of their companions escaped.

The injured terrorist was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead. 

During a search of the hideout, the law enforcers found a huge cache of weapons and explosive material. The seizure included 2,000 kilograms of explosive material, Russian-made RPGs, eight mortar shells, ARG-69 hand grenades, suicide vests weighing about 12 kilograms, anti-terrorism mines, 150 pieces of HME electric detonator, 100 pieces of non-electric detonators, five types of improvised explosive devices), one block bomb, 100 pieces of electric circuit, 10 kilograms of ball-bearing, seven pieces of metal-made block bombs, three pieces of motorcycle fuel tanks, 1,500 pieces of RGD hand grenade parts, 50 meters of dead cord prima card, 20 pieces of fuse and five remote controls. The police also found a cellphone, an electric weighing machine, two plastic chemical drums and seven liquate chemical bottles.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Amir Farooqi of the CTD, Sindh, told a media briefing that they had been receiving intelligence reports that some sleeper cells of banned organisations, including those involved in sectarian killings, were active in the city.

Among them, the Naeem Bukhari group was the most prominent and it had been planning a terrorist activity to avenge the death penalty handed to their leader, Bukhari, he said.

In this regard, SSP Intelligence Omer Shahid Hamid and TTIG Incharge Raja Umer Khattab had been assigned to bust the network and arrest the outlaws.

DIG Farooqi said Khattab had gathered information about the LeJ terrorists, who had expertise in making bombs and were financially sound.

Dildaar’s crimes 

SSP Umer Shahid Hamid of the CTD’s Intelligence Wing said Dildaar alias Chacha led the LeJ’s sleeper cell in Karachi. 

In 2014 LeJ commander Naeem Bukhari had formed a group from within his organisation as a sleeper cell and assigned him to carry out target killings and bomb blasts. He was also given the task of financially supporting activists of the group.

The cell used to financially support activists of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and the LeJ by smuggling narcotics.

SSP Hamid said the killed and arrested terrorists were involved in a number of terrorism activities in the city. They attacked a bus of members of the Shia community on the Nursery flyover on February 5, 2010, and carried out bomb blasts at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre by installing two IEDs — one installed in a computer monitor and other strapped to a motorcycle. They also attacked the CID’s Civil Lines Building on November 11, 2011, by using three suicide bombers.

The five were involved in facilitating an attack on the Pakistan Air Force Mehran Base on May 23, 2011, and another attack on a Pakistan Navy bus by using a cement block bomb on Sharea Faisal. They also allegedly planted a plastic drum bomb onto the wall of Shah Latif Police Station. That bomb exploded in the same manner a bomb fixed to the wall of Eidah Police Station had gone off.

The men also facilitated a suicide attack on the DHA residence of slain SSP Chaudhry Aslam by using a bomber who blew up an explosives-laden vehicle.

They hit a bus of Shia community members by using a rickshaw-filled with explosive material in Dehli Colony, and also targeted a VIGO Jeep with an IED-fitted motorcycle, suspecting that SSP Chaudhry Aslam was sitting inside the vehicle.  Dildaar and his men were also alleged to have attacked a Rapid Response Force vehicle with an IED strapped to motorcycle near Korangi Crossing and carried out a cement block bomb blast during the funeral of a Shia community member near New Sabzi Mandi. 

Rewards announced 

Sindh Inspector General of Police AD Khowaja announced a reward of Rs1 million, and CTD chief Additional IG Sanaullah Abbasi announced a reward of Rs0.5 million for the raiding team.