Terrorism-related Incidents in Islamabad - 2009

Date

Incident

March 23

A suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance of the headquarters of the Special Branch (SB), an intelligence agency of the Federal Capital Police, in Sitara Market in Islamabad, killing himself and a Policeman. Two Police officials were wounded in the attack. Over 120 personnel of the Special Branch reside on the premises of the SB headquarters and most of them were present in their barracks, said an SB official. Police Constable Faisal Khan, deployed at the main gate of the headquarters, reportedly got hold of the suicide bomber when he was advancing towards the barracks. The bomber detonated the bomb, killing both of them. "The bomber wanted to hit the residential rooms of the SB personnel," an unnamed officer said.

Eight Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel were killed, and seven others injured, when a suicide bomber blew himself up at an FC check post on the Margala Road. The blast, which took place at 7:35pm, was followed by an exchange of fire between FC personnel and unidentified accomplices of the suicide attacker. The crossfire continued for around 20 minutes, an eyewitness told. However, Police denied any exchange of fire, saying security officials had been firing in the air to scare away other attackers.

Police arrested a Taliban operative along with former Member of National Assembly from FATA, Shah Abdul Aziz, who was allegedly helping the Taliban escape in Islamabad, a private TV channel reported. Police sources were quoted as saying that the suspected Taliban operative was hiding in Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Aziz's house in G-6 sector. Police claimed the Taliban commander was on the run from Swat and was allegedly a link between the Lal Masjid cleric and TTP chief Fazlullah, the channel reported. They added the commander might have links to the attack in Lahore.

Police in Islamabad have arrested a Taliban leader involved in training underage boys of Islamabad seminaries for terrorist activities and suicide bombing, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tahir Alam Khan informed a press conference in the national capital. The SSP said Fidaullah was arrested on a tip-off provided by Khairullah and Khurram Shehzad, two terrorists arrested in connection with the attacks on the Frontier Corps Camp. Fidaullah had facilitated the suicide bombers by transporting them to the targeted spots and giving them shelter, he said. Fidaullah alias Abdul Rehman alias Junaid, a resident of village Sawarhi in the Buner District of NWFP, had publicly slaughtered three residents of Swat District in Sultanwas and Pir Baba, separating their heads from their bodies while fighting the Security Forces, the SSP said, adding that he was wanted by security agencies for his involvement in terrorist activities. He had been training youngsters for conducting suicide bombing, he said.

Two Policemen were killed and four others injured in a suicide attack on a Rescue 15 office at Sector G-8 in capital Islamabad. "It was a huge blast that jolted the area and shattered everything into pieces in front of my eyes," an eyewitness said. Islamabad police arrested some people in connection with the attack, police spokesman Muhammad Naeem said. "We have found a hand and two legs of the bomber. We have not been able to find his head so far," senior Police officer Bin Yameen told. A mere 20 minutes before the suicide blast, a private TV channel reported, senior Police officials conducted an important meeting on the law and order situation.

June 24

Police claim to have arrested at least 43 suspected terrorists from various parts of the Punjab province as part of a countrywide crackdown against militants. Officials revealed they had arrested 25 suspected Taliban militants from Islamabad, some of who were plotting attacks on foreign targets. "We have arrested 25 Taliban and recovered suicide jackets from them. Six of the men arrested had been on the most wanted list," Islamabad Police chief Kaleem Imam said. "These terrorists, who hailed from Swat and Waziristan, were planning sabotage activities in Karachi, Lahore and other big cities… Their targets mostly were law enforcement agencies, vital installations and foreign dignitaries," he added. Confirming the threat, the Swedish Foreign Ministry has claimed that one of the men arrested had told investigators he had been preparing for attacks on embassies, including the Swedish mission.