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Pakistan arrests four over Islamabad judicial complex suicide attack

By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani government on Friday announced the arrest of four members of a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) cell, who were involved in the recent suicide attack targeting the Judicial Complex in Islamabad’s G-11 area and martured at least 12 people.

In a joint intelligence-based operation carried out by the Intelligence Bureau Division and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) apprehended the suspects linked to TTP’s faction known as Fitna al-Khawarij (FAK), the government said in a statement, posted on X.

One of the detainees, who has been identified as Sajidullah alias Sheena, has confessed during interrogation to acting as the handler for the suicide bomber, according to officials.

Sheena disclosed during the intorrogation that TTP/FAK commander Saeed-ur-Rehman alias Daadullah, currently based in Afghanistan, tasked him through Telegram to carry out an attack in Islamabad on law enforcement agencies.

According to the statement, Daadullah provided Sheena with the identity and photographs of the bomber, Usman alias Qari, a member of the Shinwari tribe from Achin district in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. After Usman entered Pakistan, Sheena brought him and arranged his accommodation near the capital.

Investigators added that on Daadullah’s instructions, Sheena retrieved a suicide vest from Peshawar’s Akhun Baba graveyard and transported it to Islamabad. He then fitted the explosives onto the bomber shortly before the attack on the judicial compound.

Pakistan said the terrorism network was being remotely directed from Afghanistan, with the group’s high command guiding the attackers “at every step.” All key members of the cell — including its commander and three operatives — are now in custody, officials stated.

The government added that further arrests are expected as investigations continue.