Two LeJ terrorists planning target killings in Muharram arrested: CTD

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Tuesday claimed to have arrested two operatives of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) ‘who were planning to carry out target killings in Muharram’.

In a statement, CTD Investigation SSP Naveed Ahmed Khawaja said the suspects – identified as Muhammad Abdullah and Adnan Ahmed – were apprehended during a raid near Masjid-e-Qaba situated at Bandhani Colony, Liaquatabad.

The raid was carried out by Karachi CTD Investigation In-Charge Chaudhry Gulam Sarwar under supervision of SSP Khawaja. Three 9mm pistols, 15 bullets and a motorcycle, bearing registration number KGF-0313, were found in the suspects’ possession. 

According to SSP Khawaja, apprehensions regarding a possible surge in targeted killings based on ethnic and sectarian affiliations in the metropolis had pushed the CTD to undertake special search operations in various parts of Karachi.

"There were reports that banned jihadist and sectarian outfits were planning to carry out targeted killings of members of their rival sects during the month of Muharram," he said. During a preliminary interrogation, the suspects confessed their involvement in sectarian killings in the city, he added.

 “They were planning more killings during Muharram,” the CTD SSP claimed. He said the CTD was expecting more disclosures during further interrogations. On August 7, the CTD claimed to have foiled a terror bid in Karachi by arresting four suspected terrorists and killing three others during operations in different parts of the city.

According to the CTD, three raids were conducted as a result of a rise in terrorist activities in the city in the month of July. The CTD carried out operations in areas of Machar Colony and localities of MA Jinnah Road. The operations were conducted on the basis of intelligence sharing that some terrorists, who have their affiliations with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, were hiding in these areas.

The arrested men had admitted to killing a police sub-inspector in 2015 and planned to target jamaat khannas belonging to the Aga Khani community, imambargahs and shrines.

A recent meeting on Karachi’s law and order situation was told that police officials and members of minority sects in the city were faced with threats of target killings. Participants of the meeting that was held in May this year were told that police officials and members of the Shia community in upper Sindh’s districts were faced with threats of suicide attacks and improvised explosive device explosions.

Convened in Karachi, the meeting was attended by officials of the law enforcement agencies, including the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and the intelligence agencies to discuss threat perception and policies to counter the threats.

The CTD Karachi chief told The News later that the meeting had also discussed the security situation in Sindh, including the intelligence and joint interrogation reports on 94 madrasas that were investigated.

He said active terrorist groups in Sindh, including Karachi, were Jamaatul Ahrar, the TTP’s Swati, Punjabi and Geedar groups, al Qaeda, the SSP, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), the SMP, Jundullah, the Islamic State (commonly known as Daesh) and militant wings of political and nationalist parties.

Referring to the threats in Karachi and upper Sindh, DIG Farooqi said a nexus of terrorist groups was behind them, comprising the LeJ, the TTP and al Qaeda, which were operating out of Balochistan.