Police identify bomber

LAHORE Police have identified one of the suicide bombers, who blew himself in a mourning procession at Karbala Gamay Shah leaving above 100 dead, sources said on Wednesday. They said the youth had refused to give security search exposing himself as an enthusiastic devotee of Hazrat Ali (RA). They further urged especially the Shia Community to keep vigil on their participants and ensure the persons who were pretending them as devotees of Ahl-e-Bait so that the wrongdoers could not repeat the same episode. They claimed a youth, below 20, wearing a black Kurta leading a group of devotees was raising slogans in reverence of Hazart Ali (RA) when some police personnel intercepted him for security reasons at a barrier placed near Nasir Bagh. However the youth, yet to be identified, refused to give search saying he was the Ghulam of Maula Ali (RA) who needed no security arrangements as the great Khalifa (RA) was enough to guard him, a top police source who requested not to be named said. According to the cop, after through investigation which was still underway, this was ascertained so far that youth was a bomber who exploded his suicidal vest among the procession, leaving more than 15 dead on the spot. Responding to a query, he said there were seven police officials deputed at that security barrier who later were thoroughly asked about the 'security search procedure during the procession. This aspect was ascertained when we asked them to share each and every aspect and even a minor extraordinary movement during their search-procedure, he added. He further said no doubt the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which was constituted to investigate the incident under the supervision of SSP Investigation Zulfiqar Hameed, have still failed to ascertained tangible facts regarding the incident but this was established that the miscreants could carry out any modus operandi to accomplish their nefarious designs during Muharram. According to his claim, the big guns of police department have been informed about this aspect, who further has conveyed to the top leadership of Jaffariya Alliance to remain alert during the mourning processions. The SSP Investigation did not bother to pay heed despite the repeated requests by this scribe in order to seek his version regarding further developments in the investigation process.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt