Six more netted in Lanka team attack

Another six members of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, including the mastermind of the deadly attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team on March 3, 2009, were arrested, the Lahore city police chief said Tuesday.

“We have also recovered a suicide jacket, four Klashnikoves, eight hand grenades and hundreds of bullets from them,” Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Aslam Tareen told a press conference at Police Lines Qila Gujjar Singh. The CCPO said that all the arrested men had lived in a rented house at Gujjar Colony near the Jahangir’s Tomb.

On a tip-off, a special team under the supervision of the CIA SP and other senior officers raided and arrested the outlaws with arms and ammunition.

During interrogation, they confessed that they want to hold the Sri Lankan team members hostage for the release of their arrested Taliban commanders.

The arrested men were identified as Abaidullah alias Zubair of Karachi, Mohsan Rasheed of Muzaffargar, Muhammad Javed Anwar and Qari Muhammad Asfaq of Toba Tek Sing, Abaidur Rehman Qamar of Bahawalpur and Amanullah of Dera Ismael Khan.

To another question, he said the police would arrest culprits of Data Darbar suicide attack soon as they had got a major breakthrough.

“The network of arrested terrorists comprises more than 60 saboteurs and a hunt for others is under way,” the CCPO said. Asked about future security of international players, Aslam Tareen said that the law enforcement agencies were ready to provide security to the visiting teams.

“We will provide foolproof security to the international cricket teams if they visit Pakistan.” Last year, police arrested a key suspect who was identified with the help of footage of the attack. The Nation