Suicide attack on Ali Masjid in Bhara Kahu
Shakeel Anjum
Thursday, August 15, 2013
From Print Edition
Islamabad: How the war against terrorism could be fought when the mindset of a specific group trickles down to teenagers and they have constituted their own terror outfits in their formative years in colleges and neighbourhoods to hit the people belonging to other sects or religions.
The shocking incident of failed suicide attack at the Ali Ibne Abi Talib Masjid in Bhara Kahu revealed that a group of students, including an 18-year-old girl and a boy of 14, were behind the act, which is enough to open the eyes of the leadership of the political and religious parties and groups, as well as the establishment.
The investigation report disclosed that the Ali Ibne Abi Talib Masjid suicide attack plot was conceived, designed and orchestrated by a group of young literate boys, most of whom recently dropped out from the Mukhtar College, Bhera Bridge, Murree Road, Bhara Kahu. They were familiar with the use of technology, like laptops, smart phones and other gadgets. Most of these boys, who belong to Sadda Town, South Kurram Agency, had settled in Bhara Kahu about five to six years back along with their families. They were all clean-shaven and not very religious. Their families belong to Sunni (Deoband) school of thought. Being dropouts, initially they planned to formally join the TTP training camps in South Waziristan Agency (SWA) to make a mark as Mujahideen. However, being closely placed to the network, lately they got inspired from the TTP (South Kurram Chapter). This chapter is involved in terror attacks and insurgency against Ehl-e-Tashee in Parachinar. The selection of target, Ali Masjid, was a matter of convenience, as Bhara Kahu was their second home, and the Eid Day was selected at a later stage to strike the headlines.
It is alarming to observe that an 18-year-old girl student and a schoolboy of 14 were part of the terrorist outfit, who played their role in the execution of the terrorist plan.The people engaged in the investigation of the case, however, didnt indicate as to who the financier of the plot was and who provided logistic support to the young terrorists.
Police authorities should not disclose the identity of the members of the low-level terror outfit, who have not yet been arrested, but they did it for some reasons and provided details of the people involved in the plan.
The report identified nine persons involved in the suicide bombing plan, including the suicide attacker, who was gunned down by the guard of the masjid. They include: Muhammad Ibrar, 22, son of Ahmad Raza Khan, caste Khilji Pathan, resident of Karkhano Camp, Darvaish Bagh, Sadda Town, Frontier Region (FR), South Kurram Agency, presently living in Abdullah Town, Bhara Kahu. He dropped out in 2011-12 from Mukhtar College, Murree Road, Bhara Kahu, for unknown reasons and shifted back to his native Kurram Agency about four months ago after marrying a local Kashmiri girl. Ibrar was an active member of the TTP and masterminded the suicide bombing plan but was not yet arrested.
Noor Muhammad, 22, son of Hashim Khan and cousin of Muhammad Ibrar, caste Khilji Pathan, resident of Karkhano Camp, Darvaish Bagh, Sadda Town, FR South Kurram, was living in Abdullah Town, Bhara Kahu.
He, too, was rusticated in 2011-12 from the Mukhtar College. He was said to be the planner and transporter and provided logistic support to the suicide attacker but hadnt yet been arrested.
Mohammad Ilyas, alias Subaray, 28, caste Bangash Pathan, resident of Darvaish Bagh, Sadda Town, FR South Kurram, was living in Kohat. He was an associate of Ibrar, and an activist of TTP, but had not been arrested yet.
Hidayat-ur-Rehman, 28, son of Habib Jan and brother-in-law of Ibrar, caste Khilji Pathan, resident of Karkhano Camp, Darvaish Bagh, Sadda Town, FR South Kurram, was presently working on Khyber Medical Store, Simli Road, Bhara Kahu.
Muhammad Saddam, 19, son of Noor Muhammad, caste Mehsood, resident of Tar Gandai Tianda, Baroond, Tehsil Tiarza, South Waziristan Agency, was presently living in Hafiz Jhuggi, Hamza Town, Bhara Kahu. He was rusticated from Mukhtar College in year 2011-12. He was the facilitator and was arrested.
Muhammad Wali, 22, son of Jan Muhammad, caste Ahmadzai Pathan, resident of Paktia, Afghanistan, presently living in Mohallah Nain Sukh, Bhara Kahu, also expelled from Mukhtar College in 2011-12 and played his role as a facilitator, was also arrested.
Mehwash Amjad, 18, daughter of Amjad Habib, caste Hashmi, was the resident of Kot Hathial, Kiyani Road, Bhara Kahu. She was the student of 1st year in Horizon College and former student of Mukhtar College. The investigator, quoting her statement, claimed that she was the girlfriend of Saddam but had met all above-mentioned culprits. She was arrested too. And finally, 14-year-old Yasin Farooq, son of Niaz, caste Mehsood, resident of Tar Gandai Tianda, Baroond, Tehsil Tiarza, South Waziristan Agency, living in Hafiz Jhuggi, Hamza Town, Bhara Kahu, was a student of a local school. He is also in police custody.
Zakaullah alias Abubakar, 28, (the suicide bomber who was gunned down by the guard of the Masjid) was the son of Muhammad Bukhsh, caste Mochi (Dadar), resident of 239-JB, Bhawana, Chiniot.In this perspective, the people engaged in framing the counter-terrorism policy should cover all aspects of terrorism for checking the involvement of young people in terror acts.
