Two more facilitators arrested in ATI attack case

PESHAWAR: The police have arrested two more facilitators of the attackers involved in the attack on the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) on December, 1 last year, officials said on Friday.

Nine people, including eight students, were martyred while 30 were wounded in the attack, reportedly carried out by three attackers. All the attackers were killed inside the building when police and army contingents arrived at the spot and engaged the militants.

An official of the Counter Terrorism Department said one Owais Khan of Gulbahar and Saeedullah of Bajaur Agency were arrested during an action in Shamshatoo camp.Another facilitator was arrested last week. The held man from Bajaur Agency, Mohammad Yasir, had provided transport and other facilities to the attackers on the day of the incident, the officials said.

Some reports suggested that another facilitator of the ATI attackers was held in January. Three burqa-clad attackers arrived outside the ATI building in an auto rickshaw having a fake registration plate and tampered chassis number early morning on December 1.

It was learnt that the attackers first took out the watchman identified as Abdul Hameed and then barged into one of the two hostels, wherefrom most of the students had left for homes for the long weekend.

The attackers shot students in these hostels one by one who were running in panic to save lives. Some of the students were still asleep due to the holiday.