500 kg explosives used in Lahore blast

[Naveed Yaseen]

Arshad Dogar
LAHORE: The joint investigation team has assessed that the explosive used in attack on Rescue 15 and the ISI’s provincial headquarters Wednesday weighed more than 500 kg, besides finding that an arrested Taliban militant played the main role in the strike.

Sources privy to the probe told The News that the investigation team comprising Addl IG (Investigation) Punjab, CID DIG, DIG (Investigation) Lahore, SP (Investigation) Civil Lines and officials of ISI, MI and IB, held separate meetings Thursday to review the modus operandi of the assailants, assess the make and weight of explosive and measures to be taken in the wake of the attack.

Moreover, body parts and other recovered items including metals were sent to forensic laboratory for DNA tests.

Meanwhile, the ISI security personnel retaliated whereupon an attacker sitting on the driver’s seat exploded the van. The officer said the operation was completed within one minute at maximum. He ruled out the use of motorcycles in the attack and said only three terrorists executed the operation.

The investigators after revisiting the blast site Thursday reassessed the impact of the explosion, which created a 10-ft deep and 20-ft wide crater.

The investigation team viewed that 1,000 kg high explosive loaded in a truck was used in Marriot attack while in the ISI building attack a Hiace, which could contain 500 kg explosive, was used.

About the arrest of suspects Lahore police officials said three suspects arrested on the day of attack had been cleared after initial interrogation. They were local residents with no link to the attack.

However, a senior police officer confirmed that a main suspect had been arrested who had a link to Taliban adding the investigators team would achieve some breakthrough within a day or two.

Meanwhile, the Cantt Division SP claimed to have arrested seven suspects. Three of them belonged to Afghanistan, two to Bajaur and the remaining two to Kurram Agency, the SP claimed. Their connection to the attack could not be ascertained.

It has been learnt that out of 26 dead, as many as 14 were policemen, five including a colonel and a deputy director level officer were ISI men while the remaining were civilians.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=180176