SSP Aslam killed in LeJ suicide attack, says JIT report

Report claims three cells of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi eliminated in Karachi

A report of a joint interrogation team, which has been questioning four terrorists belonging to the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), says senior superintendent of police Chaudhry Aslam perished when a suicide attacker blew himself up in an explosives-laden stationary vehicle just as the police officer’s van neared it on the Lyari Expressway in December 2014.

Aslam, a top anti-terrorism officer who had survived numerous assassination attempts in the past, died along with two other officers when the bombing targeted his convoy near the Essa Nagri area at around 4:40pm. 

The report of the joint interrogation team (JIT) puts to rest speculation that Chaudhry Aslam had died in a bomb blast in his own vehicle.

Qari Mohammad Jawed alias Qari, who was arrested along with three other LeJ terrorists during a raid in the Korangi district’s Mehran Town on March 6 this year, told the JIT that Kamran, a police constable who was associated with SSP Asalm, was an activist of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan’s Qayyumabad Unit/

Kamran was also a close friend of terrorist Imran alias Mota and had facilitated a suicide attack on the Defence residence of SSP Aslam. After Kamran’s death in the suicide attack on the police officer, he was buried next to the grave of Imran alias Bhatti on the instructions of their LeJ group leader, Naeem Bukhari, as both were close friends.

Raja Umer Khattab, the head of the Transnational Terrorists Intelligence Group (TTIG) of the Counter Terrorsism Department, told the media on Friday about the JIT report of the four alleged LeJ terrorists -- Mohammad Jawed alias Qari, Wazir Hussain alias Rehan, Zafar Ali alias Saien and Syed Hasaan Ali alias Shahjee.

The report, he said, confirmed that the terrorists, all belonging to the Naeem Bukhari group, were involved in several terrorism cases. Another terrorist, Dildaar alias Dilawar alias Chacha, was killed in the Korangi raid, during which a huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized.

Khatta said Bukhari’s was the biggest terrorist group that also jointly worked with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), al-Qaeda and Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent to carry out terrorist activities, including the Karachi airport attack, target killings of army officials, paramilitary Rangers and police personnel, and sectarian killings.

The JIT further learnt that the terrorists had carried out attacks on Rangers, navy and police buses and other vehicles. The terrorists would inform their leader, Bukhari, after carrying out each attack. Bukhari was said to have formed a separate group for funding.

After the arrest of the four men and the killing of their leader, Dildaar, the CTD had busted the LeJ’s target killing cell, sleeper cell and funding cell, Khattab said.

Qari Jawed  

He was born in the Bahawalpur district in 1974. Later, his family shifted to Mauzah Baqir Shah, where at the Farooqia Masjid he became Hafiz-e-Quran at the age of 16. In 1996-97 he came to Hyderabad and got a job at the Darul Khair Masjid, where he worked for two years.

In 1999 he came to Karachi and started living in the Qayyumabad area. He used to teach children the holy Quran in the Defence area.

In 2002 he met Imran Bhatti alias Mota and Dildaar and jointed the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan. Imran alias Mota was later killed in 2007. After Mota’s killing, Qari Jawed joined the Naeem Bukhari group and remained active in terrorism activities till 2014. During that period he also worked as a plumber in the Defence area.

Qari Jawed further disclosed that he met Bukhari in 2013 at the residence of Farooq Bhatti alias Mussanah in Mehran Town, Korangi, and later he started meeting Bukhari at different intervals at various bungalows, where he worked as a plumber. Bukhari introduced him to Wazir Hussain, who looked after the financial affairs of the LeJ and the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and gave a stipend to Qari Jawed.

Wazir Hussain Tanoli

He was born in Arab Colony, Sindhi Muslim Society. He did his matriculation from a government school of the area in 1999 and in 2001 he was hired at a trust office situated near Jauhar Chowrangi.

In 1997 he joined the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan’s Society Unit and in 1999 he went to Afghanistan to get training from the Harkatul Mujahideen. Upon his return he was appointed incharge of the Society Unit of the banned outfit. Later in 2001 he again went to Afghanistan for Jihad, and on his return he was appointed inharge of Sipah-e-Sahaba’s Welfare Cell in 2005. He was assigned to collect data of all killed terrorists of the outfit.

Later, Tanoli generated funds from different mosques in Karachi and also collected hides of sacrificial animals to generate money for his organisation. It was also decided that the amount made from Fitra and Zakat would be distributed among the heirs of those killed as well as among arrested activists. The money was also given to lawyers of LeJ accused and utilised in the treatment of injured activists.

Funds were also given away for the purchase of dowry for daughters of LeJ men and for paying up fuel and cellphone charges. In 2008 the stipend amount was increased to Rs7,000. Till 2010 the group had generated about Rs1 million.

Tanoli said funds were given to Ishaq alias Bobi and Asim Kapri, target killers of the LeJ, arrested earlier. In 2013-14 when the funds decreased, Bukhari instructed Zafar alias Saeen to provide money for the organisation. After Bukhari’s arrest, Zafar Saeen directly gave funds to Kamran Jamshed, who distributed the money via Hasaan alias Shahjee.

Zafar alias Saeen  

He was born in Ghotki. He shifted to Karachi with his family in 1993 and worked in a carton factory in Dalmia.

In 2008 he joined the Dalmia Unit of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, and in 2011-12 after developing differences with the outfit, he joined the Abdul Rehman group and started generating funds for him.

In 2013 he was met LeJ leader Naeem Bukhari and Wazir Hussain alias Rehan. After spending some time with Bukhari he stayed with a person, Amir Chaudhry alias Huzaifa. Bukhari also stayed at the residence of Zafar for some months, during which they planned the attack on SSP Aslam.

In 2014, Chaudhry Amir, who had stayed at his residence, monitored SSP Aslam’s movements for 15 days. On the day of the attack, Bukhari took the vehicle of Zafar Ali, a Mehran car, for rekey. Bukhari and Amir Chaudhry reached the house of Zafar Ali and started watching TV. Both were said to be fasting and broke their fast after the attack on SSP Aslam.

Zafar said PC Kamran and Ubaid, brother of Amir Chaudhry, had facilitated the attack by conducting rekey of the police officer.

Hasaan alias Shahjee

He was born in Karachi and joined the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan in 2007. He used to collect funds for the organisation with Wazir Hussain alias Rehan. He was assigned to deliver the stipend amount at the residence of killed activists.