Homeland Security

Pakistan busts network of suicide bombers: officials

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, June 10,IRNA -- Pakistani security agencies have busted a local network of suicide bombers and frustrated a big terrorist attack, chief of the country's interior ministry said on Tuesday. Three would-be suicide bombers, who were about to explode, are among the nine terror suspects arrested in raids in the city of Rawalpindi, Interior Ministry Advisor Rahman Malik said.

Malik told a news conference that six handlers of the suspected bombers have also been rounded up with explosives-laden vehicles.

"They were about to explode. Their plans were fully mature," he said, adding that the arrested suspects belong to an extremist organization. He did not name the organization.

Pakistan has seen deadly suicide bombers in recent months and more than 500 people, mostly security forces, have been killed in suicide bombings and bomb attacks this year.

The government blames suspected militants, based in the country's tribal regions and Swat valley in the northwest for the attacks.

"The law enforcement agencies have achieved a major success. The major disaster was averted," Malik said.

He said that two land cruiser cars with 400 potassium chlorides of high intensity explosive in each were seized from one parking. Another car with 400 kg of explosives was recovered from another parking.

Another Corolla car with 200 kg was also seized on the same night, he said and added that it was to be exploded.

"On a very short notice we had alerted Islamabad and Rawalpindi," he said.

He said that one suspect was arrested first and his arrest led to the arrest of six other suspects. He said that one suspect is at large.

Malik said that the explosives seized in Rawalpindi had similarity with the explosives used in the this month attack on Danish embassy in Islamabad, which had killed at least eight persons.

"We can safely say that we have unearthed a network of local suicide bombers and have also arrested their handlers," the advisor said.

He said that one arrested suspect confessed during interrogation that he had handled two suicide bombings in Islamabad.

"A Joint Investigation Team of security agencies is conducting investigation. We have received good leads," Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Tariq Pervez told the press conference.

He said the investigation is continuing and the suspects are on physical remand for questioning.

2020**235**1412