Seven arrested in Pakistan over plot against PM

Seven arrested in Pakistan over plot against PM

2010-10-14 19:53:16 GMT+7 (ICT)

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Seven militants were arrested Pakistan in connection to a 2009 suicide attack against Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and over a plot against the Pakistani Prime Minister, media reports said on Thursday.

District Police Chief Sayed Abid Qadri confirmed the arrests of seven individuals involved in the attacks, who reportedly admitted to a plot of an attack on an empty residence of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in Multan.

However, high security officials in Islamabad did not verify that report, and officials of Pakistan's Interior Ministry said they were "unaware" of such reports, the Express Tribune reported.

The detainees were linked to Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, which is a banned militant group with connections to both the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Two suicide bombers on a pick-up truck loaded with explosives attempted to reach ISI offices in Multan on December 8, 2009, but they were confronted by soldiers at security checkpoints. The attackers opened fire and shortly after, prematurely detonated the explosives, which resulted in the death of five civilians, two soldiers, and the attackers.

Local authorities said the attackers include Tehreek-e-Taliban commander Abdur Rahim alias Talha, a bomb-making expert who was working as a Taliban leader in Punjab, Muhammed Afzal, Hafiz Salman, Sajjad, Muhammed Saleem, Bilal and Mfti Munawwar Hussain. Invetigations are currently underway in search for their two absconding accomplices.

Police reports indicate that the individuals were detained after a tip-off and were detained three days ago at a local residence.

During the past three years, Pakistan has been a focal point of Taliban and al-Qaeda suicide attacks, which have taken the lives of over 3,700 people.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-10-14