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Terrorism-related Incidents in Lahore - 2009

No

Date

Incident

1

January 9

Five explosions were reported from two theatres in Lahore. However, no casualty was reported. Four low-intensity bombs exploded in the main electricity supply control room of the Al-Falah Theatre at around 8:20 pm (PST) while a high-intensity bomb exploded at the Tamasil theatre at around 10:30 pm in Mozang Chungi. A suspect was arrested from the premises of Al-Falah, who was taken to the Civil Lines police station for interrogation. Declining to name a group, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Investigations), Mushtaq Sukhera, said people opposed to cultural activities carried out the attacks – "which can be considered part of a series starting from juice shops in Garhi Shahu and later targeting Alhamra Cultural Complex." "The group believes that these places are centres of anti-Islamic activities and spread obscenity," he said.

2

January 20

Police seized an explosive-laden vehicle from Tufail Road in Lahore Cantonment.

3

January 26

The plan of blowing up the offices of senior Police officers in Lahore, capital of Punjab province, was foiled when the Police recovered four high explosive bombs. Police sources told that four bombs were recovered following a Police Rescue 15 call at around 8 pm. A senior Police officer said the bombs contained ball bearings weighing some three kilograms and time devices attached. The first bomb was recovered from outside the main gate of SSP (Operations) Office, opposite to the Civil Lines College. The second bomb was planted in a waste enclosure on Rettigan Road in the rear side of SSP (Operations) office. The third and fourth ones were hidden in a bucket of milk alongside the road on footpath and outside the office of Superintendent of Police (Operations) City Division. Another official said the bombs would have exploded at the difference of 10 minutes starting at 8:20 pm.

4

February 17

Security agencies arrested three suspected terrorists from the walled city area of Lahore and seized explosive material from their possession. The terrorists were arrested near Lohari Gate and two hand grenades, some live detonators, and other explosive material were recovered. The three persons hail from the Northern Areas and were arrested on information received from some terrorists arrested earlier. The three were allegedly involved in attacking NATO supply trucks and came to Lahore to create unrest in the city.

5

March 3

Sri Lankan cricketers narrowly escaped a terrorist attack when terrorists ambushed the bus carrying them to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day’s play of the second Test. At least seven persons - six policemen escorting the Sri Lankans and the driver of another van in the convoy - were killed and 20 others wounded in the attack near the Liberty roundabout, 500 metres from the stadium. Seven Sri Lankan players were among the wounded. Two of them - Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavithana - were hospitalised for a few hours with bullet injuries. Doctors later reported they were out of danger. The other injured players were skipper Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilina Thushara and Suranga Lokumal. All of them escaped with minor injuries. A British coach, Paul Farbrace, and a Pakistani umpire, Ahsan Raza, were also injured in the attack.

6

March 18

Lahore Police claimed to have arrested a suspected al Qaeda member in Akbari Gate and seized a large cache of chemicals, explosives, electronics and bullets from him. Police’s Anti-Vehicle Lifting Staff with a secret agency officials gathered particulars of suspected terrorist Mursaleen alias Jamshaid, of Bazaar Ghulam Muhammad Thaikidarwala, Gujranwala. Police learnt that Mursaleen, who had got training from banned jihadi outfits, used to dispatch bombs and material used in explosives from different lorry stands in Gujranwala and Lahore to Miranshah in North Waziristan to al Qaeda activists.

7

March 19

Intelligence agencies arrested five aides of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud from Sham Nagar in the Lytton Road Police precincts of Lahore and seized detonators and explosive material from their possession. Sources said three of the suspects were identified as Sasta Gul, Sher Ali Gul and Mahar Zad Gul Khan. During preliminary interrogation, the men confessed to their links with Baitullah Mehsud and conducting terrorist activities in the country, sources said.

8
March 30

Eight Police recruits and a civilian were killed when a group of 10 terrorists attacked the Police Training Centre in Manawan with guns and grenades. SFs regained control of the facility in an operation that lasted for more than eight hours. About 93 cadets and civilians were injured. One of the attackers was arrested, another was able to flee after being hit by a bullet and three blew themselves up to avoid arrest, Punjab Police Inspector General Khawaja Khalid Farooq said. He believed the other attackers might have fled unhurt in the densely populated neighbourhood.

9
April 20

The Islamabad Police announced the arrest of two hard-core terrorists from the federal capital who were acting as planners and facilitators for carrying out terrorist acts in the city. The SSP, Tahir Alam Khan, said Khairullah Mehsud, a resident of South Waziristan, who was living in Sector G-9/2, was arrested from F-9 Park. Intelligence agencies have reportedly traced his links with terrorist groups in South Waziristan, which he developed after the Lal Masjid incident. "He was in contact with Gul Bahadur in South Waziristan and Misal Khan in Akora Khattak. During the course of investigations Khairullah made certain revelations, which eventually led to the arrest of another terrorist identified as Khurram Shahzad son of Lal Afzal who had undergone terrorism training at the camp of a banned terrorist organization," the SSP said. He said Khurram Shahzad had visited the tribal areas as well as Hangu, Bara and Peshawar quite frequently and during those visits he had taken 'recruits' from Islamabad for training in camps established by the terrorist groups there. The SSP also said Khurram Shahzad and other 'recruits' who accompanied him on those visits, got training to handle explosive materials, especially making lethal 'oil canister' bombs.

10

May 6

Security agencies arrested three alleged would-be suicide bombers from the Sabzi Mandi area. According to a private TV channel, the three have been identified as Abdul Aziz, Misri Shah and Qari Shahid. The channel also reported that a Mohmand Agency resident had brought the alleged attackers from the FATA.

11
May 13

Security agencies have arrested three key accused of the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore. A private TV channel reported that the arrested suspects were members of the banned Sunni group LeJ and hail from southern Punjab. Two of the arrested men were directly involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan players while the third provided logistic support to the attackers in the city, the channel's sources said. The channel also said the assailants had received training in a militant camp at Wana in South Waziristan.

12
May 15

Security agencies arrested three suspected terrorists, including two would-be suicide bombers, from Lahore. According to a private TV channel, the security officials also seized two suicide vests from the suspects aged between 15 and 16. The channel quoted its sources as saying that one of the alleged would-be suicide bombers was the mastermind of the attacks on NATO terminals in Peshawar. The three have been identified as Noorullah, Amin and Abdul Saboor.

13
May 27

Suicide bombers detonated a vehicle loaded with 100 kilograms of explosives near offices of the capital city police officer (CCPO) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Lahore- killing at least 27 persons and injuring 326 others, in addition to destroying a two-storey building of the Rescue 15 police service, according to Police. An ISI colonel and 15 Police officials were among those killed. Witnesses said the attack started midmorning when two gunmen stepped out of a white van - which had pulled up in a narrow street separating the police and ISI buildings - cautioned civilians to take cover, and started firing at SF personnel deployed down the street. The gunmen also hurled a grenade at the SFs personnel. As the firing continued, the driver managed to cross the concrete barrier, but could not get further and was forced to blow up the vehicle there. Superintendent of Police Sohail Sukhera said a threefold security cordon prevented the attackers from getting to the offices CCPO and ISI offices. He said the terrorist in the vehicle was shot - which prompted him to blow up the vehicle about a hundred feet away from the intended target, in front of the Rescue 15 building.

14
May 28

Security agencies arrested about 50 people suspected for involvement in the bomb-and-gun attack in Lahore from different parts of the city. Intelligence agency sources told that about 20 suspects were arrested from Iqbal Town, Bund Road, hostels in Ichhra and outskirts of the city. The sources said most of the arrested were Afghan nationals. They said the arrests were made on the information gained from suspects arrested at the blast site.

15
May 31

Hundreds of activists of the banned Hizbul Tehrir outfit held a rally in Lahore in protest against military operations in the Malakand Division of NWFP and the presence of US forces in the region. The City Division Superintendent of Police, Rana Abdul Jabbar, told that more than 80 activists of the organisation had been arrested under the Anti-Terrorist Act that proscribes any banned outfit to hold public activities.

16
June 12

At least seven persons, including a prominent anti-Taliban cleric, were killed and seven injured when a suicide attacker detonated himself at the Jamia Naeemia madrassa (seminary) in the Garhi Shahu area of Lahore shortly after Friday prayers. Targeting Sarfaraz Naeemi, the head of Jamia Naeemia, the terrorist reportedly waited until the anti-Taliban cleric had reached his office before launching his attack. Six people were with Naeemi in his office at the time. A seminary student, Muhammad Faisal, said the bomber had pretended to be a student. Following the blast, hundreds of outraged students gathered at the scene and demanded the Taliban leave Pakistan. Naeemi's brother Muhammad Tajwar told that the cleric had recently received death threats for condemning the Taliban, but had refused the offer of Police protection. Inspector General of Police, Tariq Saleem Dogar, said since Naeemi had never asked for security, the attack was not a security lapse. District Officer (Civil Defence) Mazhar Hussain said the attacker had used a 20-kilogramme suicide vest containing ball bearings and iron filings. Police said the bomber was aged between 16 and 17, clean-shaven and had a fair complexion. Police also claimed to have later arrested two suspected terrorists.

17
June 17

The Lahore Police claimed the arrest of a terrorist involved in the attack on a visiting Sri Lankan cricket team on March 3, with officials claiming the attackers had plans to take the cricketers hostage to demand the release of jailed leaders of their group. The Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Pervaiz Rathore told a press conference that the arrested man, identified as Zubair alias Naik Muhammad, who killed an unarmed traffic warden in the attack was a member of the Punjab Taliban, an offshoot of the banned LeJ group. Seven people, including six Policemen, were killed when terrorists ambushed the Sri Lankan team while it was being driven to Gaddafi Stadium for a match.

18

June 24

The Punjab Inspector General of Police, Tariq Saleem Dogar, told a top-level meeting in Lahore that 18 terrorists and suicide bombers had been arrested from Punjab and suicide jackets recovered over the past month and a half. The meeting was told that Shahbaz Ali Khalid alias Abdullah, Shujat Ali alias Tikka, Muhammad Akhtar Naeem alias Shah Jee, Said Ahmad alias Mujahid and Qari Muhammad Arshad were planning to commit terrorist acts, while Qari Asim, Muhammad Zubair, Rizwan Mehmood, Rizwan Abdul Qadir, Qari Sanaullah, Hijratullah alias Shakirullah alias Pattanga alias Sher Khan, Muhammad Zubair alias Naik Muhamad, Malik Naeem Haider alias Waqas alias Vikki alias Haji, Ghulam Mustafa Qaisrani, Qari Muhammad Ismaeel, Saleem Zaman, Abdul Hayee, Abdullah alias Ghazali were wanted by the Punjab Police for their involvement in the Rawalpindi Peer Wadhai bombing; the Police Training School attack in Manawan, the attack on Mianwali Check-post, Sri Lankan Cricket Team attack and the suicide attack on a mourners’ procession in Dera Ghazi Khan.

19
June 29

The Lahore Police claimed arresting seven terrorists linked to the JeM and TTP and recovering explosives and weapons. According to a handout by the Capital City Police office, the Police arrested the terrorists from T-4 Ali Park, Bund Road Lahore after a brief exchange of fire. It said the men planned to launch terrorist attacks in the city. The handout said the suspects were arrested at a check-post near Shera Kot bus station. They were identified as Karim Bukhsh, Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Younas, Shafaqat Farooqi and Hafiz Muhammad Ijaz. The police said two rifles, three pistols, 22 kilograms of explosives and bullets were recovered. It also said the arrested suspects informed Police about their three accomplices residing in the Bund Road area. The Police subsequently raided their hideout and arrested Shehzad and Ijaz Mahmood. However, Muhammad Ramazan, a resident of Rahim Yar Khan, managed to escape. The Police recovered 12 kg of explosives from the suspects' hideout.

20
July 24

The Iqbal Town Police arrested a local agent of the banned militant group LeI, who was allegedly involved in supplying people for training them as suicide bombers. Investigation Officer Rana Haseeb Akhtar said the accused, Arif alias Ghora, has admitted during initial investigation that he had relations with the Lel and he had been taking people to Peshawar, the NWFP capital, to hand them over to the Taliban. He said the accused had admitted that he was planning to take one Syed Naveed Akhtar Gilani and his two friends - Mudassir and Faisal - to Peshawar on the plea of a visit, and later hand them over to Taliban.

21
July 29

Security agencies arrested three suspected terrorists and seized explosives and weapons on their information. A source said Police arrested Mirullah Jan, Ahsaanullah and Mir Badshah from a bus stand in Sherakot. On their information, the Police later raided a house in Sherakot and seized a cache of weapons and explosives.

22

October 14

The Lahore Police arrested two suspected terrorists and recovered a suicide jacket from their possession. Both terrorists were hiding in the flats of Liaquatabad after escaping from Model Town. According to eyewitnesses, both the suspects were around 20-25 years of age. Their names and outfit affiliation were, however, not disclosed so far.

23

October 15

19 persons, including 14 SF personnel, were killed and 41 others sustained injuries in three separate terrorist attacks in Lahore. All nine attackers were also shot dead by the SFs, officials said. The attacks were carried out at the FIA building on the Temple Road, the Manawan Police Training Centre and the Elite Police Academy on the Bedian Road. The District Emergency Control Room reportedly received the first call of a terrorist attack at 9:40am (PST) on the FIA building. After 15-16 minutes, the control room received other calls of attacks on the Manawan Police Training Centre and the Elite Police Training Academy at 9:55am and 9:56am, respectively.

24

October 18

At least 73 suspects, including seven foreigners, were arrested when the law-enforcement agencies conducted raids in Lahore, Islamabad and other parts of the country, sources said. Agencies raided Azadi Chaok Yadgar in Lahore and arrested three persons and recovered a huge cache of weapons, cartridges and fake identity cards from their possession. The accused belong to the TTP’s Amjad Farooqi Group. Further, the Margalla Police raided the office of the Hizbut Tahrir in Islamabad and arrested 35 persons. The police claimed to have recovered sensitive material from the office. Besides, the Guddu Police arrested several foreigners from a coach going from Quetta to Peshawar. In a joint operation, Police and Rangers arrested seven foreigners from the border area between the Punjab and Sindh provinces.

25

October 22

Police arrested three foreigners from the Sandha area. Iqbal Town Superintendent of Police Ali Rizvi said all three men were wanted for an attack on the Rescue-15 building in Lahore.

26

December 7

Two bomb blasts killed at least 38 people, and injured more than 100 at the crowded Moon Market in Allama Iqbal area of Lahore in Punjab. The two bombs exploded 30 seconds apart at 8:45 PM (PST). The first blast occurred outside a plaza housing a branch of the Muslim Commercial Bank, while the other outside the Allama Iqbal Town Police Station, situated across the road. A suicide bomber had also targeted Moon Market in August 2008 in which nine people were killed. As the first bomb went off, the plaza where the bank is situated, and an adjacent building went up in flames, halting rescue work, Nazeer Ahmed, a security guard who was at the spot when the blasts occurred, said. Nazeer said the fire made it impossible to rescue anyone from the burning buildings. The Punjab Law Minister, Police officials and officials of the Bomb Disposal Squad, rescue officials and witnesses could not say if the blasts were suicide attacks or remote-controlled detonations. Punjab Inspector General Tariq Saleem Dogar said the bombs might have been detonated by remote control, while Superintendent of Police Ali Nasir Rizvi said he was not certain if a suicide bomber was involved. "We have recovered 33 dead bodies so far," said Dr Rizwan Naseer, Director General of Rescue and put the toll for the injured at 95. However, Dawn reports 45 causalities in the twin blast.

27

December 30

According to a delayed report of December 20, the Police arrested Khalilullah, the Punjab chief of the proscribed TTP, and 17-year-old would-be suicide bomber, Usman alias Shahbaz, from Manawan locality of Lahore. Khalil, who was said to be the right hand of late Baitullah Mehsud, allegedly masterminded the twin suicide bombings at Moon Market of Iqbal Town in Lahore on December 7, 2009. According to sources, the Cantonment Division Police raided an outhouse of Malik Nazir in a Manawan locality of Lahore on December 20 and arrested Khalil and the 17-year-old would-be suicide bomber, Usman alias Shahbaz. Police recovered explosive material and sensitive documents from the place where he was living. On confession provided by Khalil, Police captured another eight suspected militants, three of them from Tandlianwala in Faisalabad District. During interrogation, the suspected militants confessed that they were to attack the flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah border on December 22. Khalil confessed before investigators that he had a team of 600 suicide bombers. According to sources, Khalil was on the US list of most-wanted terrorists. Capital City Police Officer Pervez Rathor said that Khalil arranged food, accommodation, weapons and vehicles for the bombers for attacks across the province.

 

 

 

 

 

 
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