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India-Pakistan

Prosecution witness forgets basics of BB murder case

2014-09-25

[NATION.PK] An anti-terrorism court (ATC) here on Saturday rejected the right of audience of a prosecution witness who forgot the basic details of Benazir Bhutto ... 11th Prime Minister of Pakistain in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founder of the Pakistain People's Party, who was murdered at the instigation of General Ayub Khan. She was murdered in her turn by person or persons unknown while campaigning in late 2007. Suspects include, to note just a few, Baitullah Mehsud, General Pervez Musharraf, the ISI, al-Qaeda in Pakistain, and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who shows remarkably little curiosity about who done her in... (BB) murder case during cross-examination. The court also refused to allow Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) special public prosecutor to grill the prosecution witness. However, it was a brave man who first ate an oyster... the court accepted the plea of public prosecutor for conducting the trial of BB liquidation case through video link and set September 27 for arguments on the said plea. Moreover, statement of another prosecution witness Inspector Ijaz Hussain Shah, now serving as SHO Police Station New Town, Rawalpindi, was not recorded by the court. According to details, ATC Special Judge Pevaiz Ismail Joya took up BB liquidation case at Adyala Jail in which a prosecution witness, Inspector Chaudhry Muhammad Ilyas, now posted as SHO cop shoppe Kahuta, appeared before the court for recording his statement. Defence lawyer Malik Jawad Khalid, who is representing an accused Hasnain Gull, questioned Inspector Ilyas, who had earlier submitted his statement that he had recovered diaries, mobile phone and SIM from the possession of Hasnain Gull during body search, for which case he (inspector) turned up before court to record his statement. The inspector replied he arrived here to record his statement in the case number 76 registered with PS Westridge in 2008. On this, the defence lawyer raised objection that the witness had no knowledge about the basic information of the BB murder case; therefore, he could not record his statement. The judge accepted the objection and rejected the right of audience of the witness. FIA Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar pleaded court for cross-examining the aforementioned witness but the judge turned down his request. The prosecution did not present Inspector Ijaz Hussain Shah for recording his statement and sought more time for the purpose, which was awarded by the court. Later, the public prosecutor filed a petition with the court, seeking video link trial of the case which was accepted by the court setting September 27, 2014 for arguments of the application. During the hearing of BB murder case in Adyala Jail, former City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Saud Aziz, former SP Rawal Division Khurram Shehzad, and other five accused Hasnain Gull, Rafaqat Shah, Sher Zaman, Aitzaz Shah and Abdul Rasheed were also present.

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India-Pakistan

Musharraf charged with Benazir's murder

2013-08-23

[Dawn] Former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Perv Musharraf ... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ... was indicted on three counts Tuesday in Rawalpindi's anti-terrorism court (ATC) over the 2007 murder of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto ... 11th Prime Minister of Pakistain in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founder of the Pakistain People's Party, who was murdered at the instigation of General Ayub Khan. She was murdered in her turn by person or persons unknown while campaigning in late 2007. Suspects include, to note just a few, Baitullah Mehsud, General Pervez Musharraf, the ISI, al-Qaeda in Pakistain, and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who shows remarkably little curiosity about who done her in... Musharraf was also produced in the ATC amidst tight security during today's hearing of the case headed by ATC judge Habibur Rehman. A challan ... list of charges ... was read out against the former president and seven others nominated in Benazir's murder during the hearing. "He was charged with murder, criminal conspiracy for murder and facilitation for murder," public prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar told AFP at the ATC in Rawalpindi hearing the case. The seven accused persons include former City Police Officer (CPO) of Rawalpindi Saud Aziz, the then SP Khurram Shahzad, Hasnain Gul, Rafaqat Hussain, Sher Zaman, Abdul Rasheed and Aitzaaz Shah respectively. Musharraf and the accused men denied the charges. The court ordered the authorities to produce all the defendants in a hearing fixed for August 27 as it subsequently adjourned the matter to the said date for evidence to be brought.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistan court indicts seven over Bhutto killing

2011-11-06

[Daily Nation (Kenya)] A Pak anti-terror court Saturday indicted two coppers and five alleged Talibs over the 2007 liquidation of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a prosecutor said. Nobody has been convicted or tossed in the slammer for Bhutto's liquidation on December 27, 2007, in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near the capital Islamabad, in a gun and suicide kaboom after she addressed an election rally. The death of the charismatic, Oxford-educated Bhutto, the first woman to become prime minister of a Moslem nation, threw the country into chaos, sparking violence and months of political turmoil. Police say that three other suspects in the high-profile case have been killed -- including the chief of the Pak Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud -- and two remain on the lam. "Seven accused including two coppers have been indicted," public prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar told AFP. The police were incarcerated a year ago while the suspected cut-throats have been in jug for nearly four years. The coppers were Saud Aziz, who was the Rawalpindi police chief at the time of the killing, and Khurram Shahzad, another senior policeman. The five suspected cut-throats are Sher Zaman, Hasnain Gul, Rafaqat Hussain, Abdul Rasheed and Aitzaz Shah from the troubled northwest of the country, Azhar said. All seven accused were indicted at the court in a high-security prison in Rawalpindi. The five alleged cut-throats are accused of "criminal conspiracy" for bringing the jacket wallah from the tribal belt in the northwest and keeping him at a house in Rawalpindi. "(All) the accused denied the charges and demanded for trial," Azhar said, adding that the coppers were accused of a security breach and for their "failure" to protect Bhutto. "One of the accused, Sher Zaman refused to sign the charge sheet," the prosecutor said. At the time of Bhutto's death, then president Pervez Perv Musharraf ... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ... blamed Mehsud for the killing. Musharraf, who lives in self-imposed exile in London and Dubai, is also wanted over Bhutto's death. Prosecutors issued an arrest warrant in February over what they said was his failure to provide her with enough security. The former president and military ruler is alleged to have been part of a "broad conspiracy" to have his political rival killed before elections. He denies the allegation. The anti-terror court in August ordered the confiscation of Musharraf's property and the freezing of his bank accounts in Pakistain, the prosecutor said.

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India-Pakistan

Benazir murder case: Indictment delayed again

2011-10-31

[Dawn] An anti-terrorism court here on Saturday delayed the indictment of seven accused in the Benazir Bhutto liquidation case for the fourth time since September. Special Judge ATC-I Shahid Rafique deferred the indictment of Aitzaz Sherazi, Sher Zaman, Rasheed Ahmed, Hasnain Gul and Rafaqat Hussain, former City Police Officer Saud Aziz and Superintendent Police Khurram Shahzad till November, because the SP and his counsel Malik Rafique could not appear before the court. Special Public Prosecutor of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali argued that the accused was deliberately using delaying tactics to prolong the trial. He said four years had already lapsed since the liquidation of the former prime minister. "Ms Bhutto was twice elected prime minister of the country and was also heading a major political party. Due to the delaying tactics, her liquidation case still remains undecided," he added. Mr Ali told Dawn that he had filed a petition for conducting the trial on a daily basis some three months back; adding under sub-section 7 of Section 19 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, the court was bound to hear the case on a daily basis. He said if the accused were innocent, why they were afraid of facing the trial. Meanwhile, ...back at the pie fight, Bella opened her mouth at precisely the wrong moment... the same court accepted the bail plea of three accused in the NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all.... containers attack case. The court directed the accused, Ali Imran, Shujaur Rehman and Mohammad Azaz, to deposit bail bonds of Rs100, 000 each. The NATO trucks were attacked in June 2010 in the jurisdiction of the Tarnol police.

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India-Pakistan

Bhutto assassination suspects to be indicted next week

2010-11-16

[Emirates 24/7] A Pak anti-terrorism court will indict five suspected militants next week for their involvement in the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a prosecutor said Monday. If they don't get off for lack of evidence they'll still be alive and well ten years later, like Omar Saeed Sheikh... "The challan ... list of charges ... of the case was presented today in Anti-Terrorism Court-III in Rawalpindi," Chaudhry Zulfiqar, a special prosecutor representing the Federal Investigation Agency, told AFP. "The accused will be indicted at the next hearing on November 23," he said, adding that the trial would be held inside the main prison in Rawalpindi. The five men were all arrested in the weeks following Bhutto's slaying in a gun-and-suicide attack at a political rally in Rawalpindi, a garrison city adjoining the capital Islamabad, on December 27, 2007. The prosecutor said five other suspects had been at large, of whom three had been killed, including Taliban and Al Qaeda commander Baitullah Mehsud. Mehsud, who had denied any involvement in Bhutto's assassination, was killed in a US drone attack in August 2009 in the lawless South Waziristan tribal district bordering Afghanistan. Suspects Aitzaz Shah, Hasnain Gul, Abdul Rashid, Sher Zaman and Rafaqat Hussain were arrested and now face charges of "criminal conspiracy" for bringing the suicide bomber from a tribal area and keeping him at a house in Rawalpindi, Zulfiqar said. "They (the suspects) were the suicide bomber's handlers and did it at the behest of Baitullah Mehsud. They provided the suicide jacket to Saeed alias Bilal and brought him to Liaqat Bagh, where Ms Benazir Bhutto was to address a rally." Zulfiqar also said that the suspects had reconnoitred the Liaqat Bagh area before the attack. He said that the statements of 124 prosecution witnesses had been presented to the court and provided to the accused. Police arrested Shah and Zaman in the troubled northwestern city of Dera Ismail Khan in January 2008 and the other three in Rawalpindi the following month. Gul and Rafaqat confessed in February 2008 to helping and sheltering the suicide attacker, to avenge the army's storming of a radical mosque in Islamabad that killed more than 100 people in July 2007. A three-member UN inquiry panel tasked with investigating Bhutto's assassination reported in April that it believed the Pakistani police's failure to probe the slaying effectively "was deliberate". The UN report also said that the government of then military ruler Pervez Musharraf had failed to provide Bhutto with adequate protection. The UN panel said its investigation was severely hampered by intelligence agencies and other officials who had impeded "an unfettered search for the truth".

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India-Pakistan

Benazir accused requests to complete 'religious' education

2010-07-05

Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) has adjourned hearing till July 10 in an appeal for permission to Aitzaz Shah of completion of education, one of the accused in Benazir Bhutto assassination case. Aitzaz Shah, who is in Adiala Jail, has filed an application in the court of Judge Akram Awan seeking permission to complete his religious education. The lawyer of applicant, Naseer Tanoli pleaded the court that when his client Aitzaz Shah was apprehended by the law enforcing agencies, he was getting religious education from a seminary at Karachi. Now Aitzaz Shah wants to complete his education since his one year of education has already went waste. "Now either the arrangements may be made for completion of his education in the jail or he may be released on bail so as to save another educational year," Tanoli requested the court. The FIA could not present a challan against the accused including Aitzaz Shah, Abdul Rashid , Hasnain Gull, Rafaqat and Sher Zaman in Benazir Bhutto assassination case even after a lapse of almost one year. The FIA took stance in the court that due to the importance of the case, the agency is investigating the matter carefully.

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India-Pakistan

FIA blames TTP for Benazir murder

2010-05-28

[Dawn] The Federal Investigation Agency submitted in a court here on Wednesday a supplementary investigation report on the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The report accuses the slain chief of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Baitullah Mehsud, of masterminding the murder. Anti-Terrorism Court-I Special Judge Malik Mohammad Akram Awan adjourned hearing till June 12 when the five arrested accused, Aitzaz Shah, Sher Zaman, Abdul Rasheed, Hasnain Gul and Rafaqat Hussain, will be formally charged. The FIA said in the report that a joint team was continuing its investigation into the hosing down of the crime scene, negligence, inadequate security measures and failure to conduct post-mortem on the body of Ms Bhutto. It will submit a report after completing the probe. The FIA launched a re-investigation into the assassination in August last year. The FIA said it had gathered more evidence against the accused and those declared offenders. It said that DNA tests first conducted by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and later by an FBI laboratory in the United States on the limbs of two alleged suicide bombers -- Saeed alias Bilal and Ikramullah -- and on their articles found in the house of Hasnain Gul confirmed that the two lived with Gul in Rawalpindi. Accepting the findings of Punjab police, the FIA said the record of a call made by arrested accused and data of two numbers involved in conversation about the success of Dec 27, 2007, suicide attack confirmed the alleged role of the accused. The report said that certain students of Madressah Darul Uloom Haqqania Akora Khattak in Nowshera had been founded involved in the assassination of the former prime minister. About the alleged negligence of police officers on duty, the FIA said it had carefully examined statements of the officials concerned and witnesses and also scrutinised the relevant record. Members of the joint investigation team have found Rawalpindi police officers responsible for security breach, including the absence of police escort officer of Benazir on her departure form Liaquat Bagh, and a series of lapses, including the destruction of vital evidence and failure to conduct the post-mortem. The investigators were yet to fix responsibility because of conflicting statements of the police officers concerned. The FIA said that a final report would be submitted after completion of these aspects of the investigation. The probe team is also examining the failure of federal and Punjab governments to provide sufficient security to Benazir Bhutto during the election campaign and take action against officers guilty of negligence.

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India-Pakistan

Nuggets from the Urdu Press

2009-10-09

Musharraf and US killed Benazir! Columnist Nazir Naji wrote in Jang that Musharraf and the US together killed Benazir in 2007. After the bomb attack on her in Karachi she sent Zardari to Washington to meet State Department official Richard Boucher and tell him that the security promised by the US was not given to her by Musharraf. Zardari called Boucher but Boucher feigned upset stomach and did not meet him. Musharraf and the US killed Benazir in Rawalpindi. A clash of extremes Ex-amir of Jamaat Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmad wrote in Jang that in Pakistan there were two types of people: those who went to English schools, shaved and wore jeans and spoke English at home; and those who went to traditional schools and had beards, some adopting the extreme brand of Islam of the Taliban. Unless moderation is exercised by both there is bound to be a clash between the two. Liaquat murdered for Objectives Resolution Writing in Jang Dr Israr Ahmad stated that after Liaquat Ali Khan passed the Objectives Resolution in the parliament to make Pakistan an Islamic state international Zionists plotted his death and killed him in 1951. And then when their man General Ayub took over and got rid of parliament he was patted on the back by Washington. Governments criminal act Talking about giving Americans several acres of additional land in Islamabad, Hafiz Saeed was reported by Nawa-e-Waqt as saying that political and religious parties should unite to prevent the giving of adda (base) to America. He said the criminal silence of the government over the issue was a sign of extreme slavery. Ambassador Haqqani and visas Chief Editor Jinnah wrote that American spies are caught in Pakistan and deported but once back in America they get visas from Ambassador Hussain Haqqani and return to spy in Pakistan. This happened in two cases, once in the case of a man named Schmiddle Schmiddle? Seriously, where did the chief editor see a name like that -- a novel by Charles Dickens? who was caught visiting sensitive places and was deported. He returned on a visa given by Ambassador Haqqani. Imtiaz Billa and wealth Writing in Nawa-e-Waqt Rana Abdul Baqi stated that ex-ISI officer and IB chief Imtiaz Ahmad alias Billa had asserted that he had served the country for many years and seen a lot of people getting rich, but could Mr Billa also explain how so much wealth reached his home? 'I hate Americans! Famous chief reporter Ansar Abbasi wrote in Jang that once he met an American under secretary lady in Islamabad and told her, 'We hate you Americans; and that, 'You are cruel (zalim), savage (wehshi) and merciless (bereham) and have no respect for human lives. But he was grieved to find that she went back and misquoted him in The New York Times. Typical. He was abominably rude to a lady, then expected her to remember his cruelty verbatim. She probably heard it as zelam, wachy and beerham, and now Mr. Abbasi's wife is furious. I would be too, if Mr. Wife said such things to another woman. Hasan Nisars wisdom Columnist Hasan Nisar in Jang: One blessing of loadshedding is that all mosque loudspeakers go dead too and one is saved from listening to the makruh (unholy) sounds that emanate from them. But, but President Obama said it's the most beautiful sound on earth! More 'Aslam-Begisms Quoted in Nawa-e-Waqt ex-army chief Mirza Aslam Beg said that General Zia had sworn inside the Kaaba that he would not hang Bhutto but he did not keep his word. America used Musharraf against the Taliban. Later America bought Baitullah Mehsud, Sufi Muhammad and Ajmal Kasab to fulfil its designs in the region. He said army was no obstacle in indicting Musharraf, but the government was not sincere. The worst sin being insincerity. Honestly! Hamid Gul did the trick! According to Khabrain a general who wished to remain anonymous said that in 1990 President Ghulam Ishaq Khan had just asked Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi to form government when ISI chief Hamid Gul rang up to say that the ISI wanted Nawaz Sharif as prime minister. President Khan changed policy and asked Nawaz Sharif instead. The president had thought that Gul was conveying the armys message but when he discovered that it was Gul himself he later got rid of him as ISI chief. More 'Hamid-Gullianisms Ex-ISI chief Hamid Gul was quoted in Nawa-e-Waqt as saying that Indian investment in Afghanistan was against Pakistan. Clever man .He said ex-army chief General Jehangir Karamat had studied at a Jewish university (Stanford) after his retirement. No, no Dr. Gul (one must have a PhD to achieve rank, after all) -- Stanford is in America, which makes it an American university. Perhaps you are thinking of the Technion in Israel. And that Holbrooke did not want democracy to flourish in Pakistan. He said Ahmad Shah Abdali was Pakistans hero. Pameela Khan predicts Famous palmist Pameela Khan was quoted in Daily Pakistan as predicting that the killers of Benazir would be captured but the PPP will have to pay the price of mid-term elections. All this, while the star of Nawaz Sharif will keep on rising. Musharrafs star in 2009 will be in decline and he will go through tough times. Indias loadshedding Well-known lady of letters Kishwar Naheed wrote in Jang after her return from India that despite the fact that India had diverted Ravi, Beas and Sutlej Rivers it was suffering from loadshedding. In Amritsar, factories remained shut for three days for lack of power. In India that's a sign of prosperity, unlike in Pakistan, Ms Naheed. Columnist surprised After writing columns about doubts expressed about the authenticity of 9/11, Ataul Haq Qasimi confided to Jang that he was forced to close his inquiry into how the Americans had deceived the world about 9/11 because of the massive stream of more evidence provided by provoked Pakistanis who wanted to disclose the deception of the US in accusing Al Qaeda of the deed. I'm sure that sentence makes sense to someone, but I can't parse it. American pressure is mounting Columnist Salim Yazdani revealed in Jang that the people of Pakistan were outraged at the signs that America was increasing its influence in Pakistan. The presence of 2,000 marines in Islamabad and the news of changes inside the ISI had actually worsened this outrage. Baitullah killed Benazir Reported in Khabrain Benazir Bhutto was killed by Baitullah Mehsud through killers who did it with Rs 4 lakh that he gave them. One night before the assassination mastermind Hasnain Gul alias Ali was made in charge of getting rid of Benazir 'because she was sent by America. He sat on the stage of Liaquat Bagh venue to make sure that the target would not escape. Hasnain Gul handled two suicide-bombers Ikramullah (jacket) and Bilal (pistol). In praise of Hafiz Said Chief Editor Khushnood Ali Khan wrote in Jinnah that India was after Hafiz Saids blood but so are CIA and Mossad because they are scared of the great Muslim warrior. The followers of Hafiz Said have always been the scourge of India which sees him in its nightmares. He is the father of thousands of martyrs. But Black Water is here to uproot Islam and Muslims. Oh my goodness. How do they get through the day without a nervous breakdown? Mastermind killer of Benazir According to Khabrain the mastermind Punjabi terrorist who organised the killing of Benazir in Rawalpindi was Hasnain, a graduate of the madrassa of Akora Khattak after which he went to Miranshah for training in terrorism. A friend of his got killed in Lal Masjid operation after which he swore revenge and was used by Baitullah Mehsud. Qari Ismail of Akora Khattak told him that orders had come from on high (oopar sai) to kill Benazir.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistani court indicts five over Bhutto murder attack

2008-11-23

ISLAMABAD - An anti-terrorism court on Saturday formally indicted five people in connection with the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, media reports said. Bhutto was murdered in a gun-suicide attack in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, which is adjacent to the capital Islamabad, during an election rally on December 27 last year. The authorities accused Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in the restive tribal district of South Waziristan of masterminding the slaying of the former head of the now ruling Pakistan People’s Party. The commander, who has links with al-Qaeda and leads a 5,000- strong militia, has denied the allegations. Five other suspects were arrested associated with the crime in the following months and indicted on Saturday by the Special Court Judge, Chaudhry Habibur Rahman, on various charges. Three accused - named as Aitzaz Shah, Sher Zaman and Abdul Rashid - were accused of having prior information relating to the terrorism activity of which they did not inform the police and other relevant authorities, the Urdu-language Geo news channel. The two others - Hasnain Gul and Rafaqat Hussain - were accused of helping in the conspiracy that led to the murder of Bhutto and helping the suicide bombers involved in the attack. All the five accused rejected the charges. "Lies! All lies!" Police have claimed Hussain and Gul confessed they were seeking revenge for the death of a comrade killed in a July 2007 commando assault on Islamabad’s Red Mosque, where radical Islamists were smoked out by security forces following a week’s fighting. According to the Pakistani authorities, over 100 people, including a dozen soldiers were killed in the operation. But Islamist claim over 3,000, including women and children, studying at the Islamic seminary adjacent to the mosque died. The suspects were outraged by US support for Bhutto, who had vowed to intensify the fight against militants in tribal areas, a senior police official Abdul Majeed told reporters in February. Pakistan also has asked UN to carry out an international inquiry into the terrorist action, which the family of Bhutto and her party suspected might have carried out by some rouged elements in Pakistan’s intelligence agencies sympathizing Taliban. 'Rouge elements'?

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India-Pakistan

Benazir murder case: suspects' bail plea rejected

2008-06-23

An anti-terrorism court on Saturday disposed of a case filed by three suspected terrorists seeking bail in Benazir assassination case, and decided to conduct the trial of a juvenile accused separately. ATC-I Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman, who is conducting the trial, rejected the bail applications of the three arrested accused Aitzaz Shah, Sher Zaman, Abdul Rasheed after the special public prosecutor maintained that the bail to the accused could not be granted as they were involved in a heinous crime. The lawyer of the accused had maintained in the petition that the charges levelled against the accused were bailable as the accused were not involved in the murder. The judge would now take up the murder case for hearing on July 14. The court also formally decided to initiate separate trial of Aitzaz Shah who was declared juvenile as according to a medical he is under 18 years of age. Charges could not be framed formally against the five arrested accused Aitzaz Shah, Sher Zaman, Abdul Rasheed, Mohammad Rafaqat and Hasnain Gul. Five other accused in the case Baitullah Mehsud, Ikramullah, Abadur Rehman, Abdullah alias Saddam, and Faiz Mohammad alias Kaskat had been declared as proclaimed offenders by the court. Rafaqat and Hasnain are also allegedly involved in two other suicide attacks one in R A Bazaar and the other in Civil Limes police area last year. The police failed on Saturday to present the challan (charge sheet) against them in the two cases and the judge adjourned the hearing till July 14. Meanwhile the judge extended the judicial remand of the four suspected terrorists involved in the incident of a rocket attack on air force complex at Kamra Attock till July 14 and Attock police submitted challan (charge sheet) against Abdul Rasheed also involved in the attack. The judicial remand of the suspects Syed Arab alias Tariq, Gul Roze, Tehseen Ullah and Mohammad Shafique was extended. They are suspected for their role in the rocket attack on the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at Kamra. In the attack, four rockets were fired at the complex on January 17, 2008 one of rockets landed on the roof of senior non-commissioned officers’ mess and two others hit airmen’s residences inside the Mirage Rebuild Factory. The fourth rocket exploded in a field near the Qutba village, close to the Kamra Cantonment. No casualty was reported. In the charge sheet the police said Abdul Rasheed confessed to carrying out the attack in Kamra in his statement under section 164 of criminal procedure code after he was arrested by Rawalpindi police for his involvement in the murder of Benazir Bhutto. In another case the ATC-II Judge Sakhi Muhammad Kahot remanded a man in the physical custody of FIA after he was arrested from Rawalpindi for hurling threats to destroy the FIA headquarters. Zeeshan Ahmed was arrested from Dhoke Khabba area after he was traced through his mobile set number by the FIA. The special investigation group of FIA registered a terrorism case against him.

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India-Pakistan

Pindi suicide blasts: ATC issues arrest warrants for five, including Mehsud

2008-04-02

Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) No 1 on Tuesday issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of militant commander Baitullah Mehsud and his four associates over their alleged involvement in two separate suicide bombings in Rawalpindi. Proceedings have been adjourned until April 21. Mehsud and his accomplices — Ikramullah, Faiz Ahmad, Qari Nazir and Qari Ismail — have been accused of involvement in last yearar’s bombing of a police picket at Golf Road, and that of an Army Medical College bus near the General Headquarters (GHQ). The court, headed by Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman, has already issued arrest warrants for the five militants in Benazir Bhutto’s murder case. The judge ordered a joint investigation team of security agencies to arrest the accused, and submit a compliance report before the court. The court also extended the judicial remand of Rafaqat and Hasnain Gul, who are allegedly involved in the two bombings. The two were brought to the court under tight security, and were later moved to Adiala Jail.

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India-Pakistan

Five Benazir murder suspects remanded by court

2008-03-07

An anti-terrorism court on Thursday remanded five suspects in custody for their alleged involvement in the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto in a gun-and-bomb attack. The accused Aitzaz Shah, Sher Zaman, Abdul Rasheed, Rafaqat, and Hasnain Gul were sent to Adiala jail on a four-day judicial remand in the Benazir murder case. Besides the attack on Benazir, Rafaqat and Hasnain Gul are also accused of involvement in three other suicide attacks in Rawalpindi: two in Royal Artillery (RA) Bazaar that targeted a secret agency’s officials, and one at a police checkpost near Army House. Anti-Terrorism Court Number I Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman remanded the accused in custody. Rafaqat, the son of a retired headmaster, and his brother-in-law Hasnain Gul have confessed to providing logistics to suicide bombers in the four blasts in Rawalpindi. They were arrested in January on information gleaned from the investigation of Aitzaz and Sher, who were arrested in Dera Ismail Khan and confessed that they knew the people who had planned and executed the attack on the former premier.

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