FIA arrests ‘RAW sleeper cell member’

A worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM-L) has been arrested in Karachi for allegedly having links with the Indian spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

The arrest was made by the Counter-Terrorism Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Karachi.

A spokesperson for the FIA said its officials conducted a raid in Gulistan-e-Jauhar to bust a terror network and arrested a suspect, Abdul Jabbar, alias Zafar Tension. “The suspect is an expert in bomb-making and using modern sophisticated weapons,” the spokesperson claimed, adding that Jabbar was an employee of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KSWB) and had visited India four times for militancy training.

The FIA spokesperson explained that the suspect was a member of the Muttahida Quami Movement-London (MQM-L) and part of a RAW sleeper cell in Karachi. He received funds from a man, Mehmood Siddiqui, through hawala, which were used in terror financing and target killings.

The suspect had gone to jail on two occasions, the FIA claimed, adding that he was involved in the attacks on MQM-Haqiqi leader Afaq Ahmed and other political activists and received instructions from Siddiqui in India.

About a dozen MQM-L men allegedly linked with RAW have been arrested in recent months in Karachi.

On July 15, the FIA claimed to have arrested a key operative of a sleeper cell of RAW, identified as Zafar. He was allegedly involved in sending money through illegal means from Karachi.

The raid was conducted by a team of the FIA’s Anti-Terrorism Wing in Saddar after getting information from suspected RAW agents already in custody. According to the FIA, money was being provided to anti-state elements through a secret international network of hawala/hundi operators.

On July 22, the Counter-Terrorism Wing of the FIA unearthed another international network of the illegal hawala and hundi business and arrested a suspected RAW agent in Karachi. The suspect, identified as Junaid, was allegedly financing state enemies through an established hawala and hundi network in the city. The arrest was made in a raid in the Dhoraji area.