Daily Times

LAHORE: Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested two suspected Qaeda operatives in Sargodha, who were allegedly planning attacks during Muharram processions. Law enforcers said they recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including five hand grenades, 37 rocket-propelled grenades, two kilogrammes of explosives used in suicide vests, seven Kalashnikov assault rifles and 695 bullets. Sargodha Regional Police Officer Zulfiqar Hameed told the media that the arrested suspects had been identified as Usman Muavia and Qari Ijaz. He said the police received information about two men – carrying suspicious bags – hiding in bushes. A police team rushed to the hideout and arrested the accused, he said. He said that the Punjab Police had been carrying out search operations regularly to ensure security, especially during Muharram, following the directives of Inspector General Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera. During initial investigation, the arrested men revealed that they had planned attacks on Muharram processions in Sargodha and adjacent districts. They also revealed that they got training from Afghanistan and were affiliated with al Qaeda, and had trained terrorists in Wana, South Waziristan. Sargodha District Police Officer Muhammad Sohail Chaudhry said the police had been carrying out intelligence-based operations for the past two weeks, during which a number of suspects and criminals were arrested and interrogated.