Afghan terror suspect acquitted

PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court on Monday acquitted a terrorism suspect, a prayer leader in a mosque and resident of Afghanistan, in terrorism charges.

The anti-terrorism court judge announced the decision after hearing arguments from both sides, with observation that the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the suspect. However, the bench directed the government to deport him to Afghanistan.

During hearing, Shabbir Hussain Gigyani submitted before the bench that the Counter-Terrorism Department had arrested Sahibur Rehman, a prayer leader at Jamia Masjid Chughalpura in Peshawar, on January 23.

The lawyer argued that the CTD claimed in the first information report that they had recovered two suicide jackets and one bomb from the room of the prayer leader in the mosque. He was charged under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.

In the grounds to the case, the lawyer argued that there was no connectivity and solid proofs that it was the suspect’s personal room. He submitted that it was a room of the mosque where he was a prayer leader.

Second, the lawyer stated, there was also contradiction in the dates mentioned by the investigation officer and Bomb Disposal Unit.

The state lawyer submitted that the suspect was a prayer leader in the mosque and thus the room must be under his control and used by him. He argued that the suicide jackets and explosive material belonged to the suspect.