Islamabad: Police said they had foiled a planned terrorist attack in the country's financial capital, Karachi, after arresting two commanders of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
"The two men are Inamullah Mehsud and Sajjadullah Mehsud, and they belong to Hakeemullah Mehsud's Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan," said a statement issued late on Friday by the office of Umar Shahid, who heads the Karachi's Anti Extremism Cell.
"Sajjadullah is the area commander of Karachi's Sohrab Goth and Sindh Industrial Trading Estate, while Inamullah is the commander of Koorvan, a small area in South Waziristan," the statement said.
The two were arrested in a raid near the Lyari Expressway.
"Inamullah is a special man of Hakeemullah Mehsud because he handpicked him, firstly for Koorvan and then Karachi," said Owais Khan, one of Shahid's lieutenants. "Inamullah used to recruit new blood and provide food and shelter in Karachi to those escaping the army operation in South Waziristan."
The police recovered two kilos of explosive material and two pistols. Khan said they believe the men were planning an attack in Karachi. During investigation, the suspects told the police that they had received four suicide jackets from South Waziristan, along with a suicide bomber.
Search for bomber
"We are looking for the jackets and the bomber," Khan said. "The men told us the jackets are with a friend who is visiting South Waziristan, while the bomber is hiding somewhere in the city."
They also told police that a large number of fighters are hiding in different areas of Karachi, including Ittehad Town, Sohrab Goth, Sultanabad and Mangopir, waiting for orders to launch an attack.
