CTD arrests two TTP suspects for ‘terror-financing’

After unearthing terror-financing through hawala hundi and cryptocurrency, counter-terrorism experts of the Sindh police have discovered another way of terror-financing by the outlawed organisations.

The counter-terrorism officers have learned that the funding of terror outfits is being done through illegal imports and exports of chemicals. “The CTD investigation wing had been investigating terror-financing in high-profile cases for the last couple of months, and the terrorists in these cases belong to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Afghanistan, and they generate funds for their organisation through smuggling from the abroad,” a CTD officer explained. “We have traced the network of these terrorists due to the hectic efforts made by the investigation wing.”

These terrorists used to smuggle a prohibited chemical, Acetic Anhydride, while using another name for it into Pakistan via Dubai and Tanzania. They used to invest the money with the help of their comrades within the country or abroad, besides using fake names and companies.

The CTD investigation wing arrested two suspects, Hazrat Bilal, son of Gul Zareen, and Siddiqullah alias Sadiq Shuja, son of Rui Muhammad, affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Afghanistan, during a raid in Karachi on Thursday.

It added that the suspects belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and were involved in terror- financing in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The acetic anhydride chemical is used for making heroin and improvised explosive devices, and the suspects used to provide it to their comrades so that they could use them in achieving their targets.

Several cases had already been registered against them by the Pakistan Customs; however, they had not been arrested in these cases since 2016, and international agencies had also been looking for them. It has been learnt during investigations that the network has been carrying out such activities since 2015 and has been active within the country and abroad.

Earlier, the CTD traced a network that sent funds to outlawed Daesh in Pakistan, Syria and the United Kingdom. In a letter to Sindh’s top cop, Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Maher, CTD DIG Omar Shahid Hamid said a suspected terrorist, Muhammad Umer bin Khalid Malik, was involved in providing funds to the proscribed terrorist organisation Daesh (ISIS) in Syria, through four suspected Pakistani women, all residents of Lahore but currently staying in Syria, via a bitcoins wallet account.

In light of the findings, mutual legal assistance from the governments of Syria and the UK was required for a smooth investigation process and it has therefore been requested that the authority concerned be approached for further necessary action.

On January 18, the CTD had arrested Umer bin Khalid, a final year student at the NED University who was allegedly involved in sending money to Daesh in Syria through the cryptocurrency bitcoin.

Addressing a press conference, DIG CTD Omar Shahid Hamid said they had been carrying out investigations for quite some time into terror funding. The suspects used to send money to the Daesh women in Syria.

He said money was being deposited in Karachi and being sent to Syria by the suspect, Umer bin Khalid, and his accomplice Zia. He added that the CTD had carried out a forensic examination after Umer was arrested.

CTD Incharge Raja Umar Khitab said the other day that the suspect made a mobile phone account to get money. “He used to get money in this account and used to send it with an accomplice from Hyderabad.”

Khitab said Zia used to first convert the money into dollars, then buy bitcoins from it and send it to Syria. “The suspects have transferred close to Rs1 million within a year,” he said and added that jihadi families used Twitter accounts to demand funds.

Three militants held

Three alleged militants of banned terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were arrested during a raid in Karachi on Thursday. According to police, Khairullah, Karimullah and Menroh Khan were arrested during a combing operation in the Qayyumabad area.

Police also claimed to have seized two hand grenades, one Awan bomb and three pistols from their possession. The operation was led by Darakhshan SDPO and the Defence SHO. Cases against the three have been registered at the Defence Police Station and an investigation is continuing.