Islamabad suicide bomber ‘attempted to attack Faizabad checkpoint’

• Attacker involved in failed attempt in targeting Faizabad checkpoint.
• Suicide bomber failed to remove explosives’ pin to detonate.
• Returned to Rawalpindi, attacked judicial complex few days later.

ISLAMABAD: In an alarming revelation, it has come to light that the suicide attacker behind the Islamabad blast was involved in a failed attempt at targeting the Faizabad checkpoint, the sources said on Sunday.

During the ongoing investigation into the terrorist’s facilitator and handler, it has come to the fore that the suicide bomber had reached the Faizabad checkpoint but couldn’t remove the pin of the explosives to detonate.

The terrorist, sources added, returned to Rawalpindi after the pin could not be removed and then carried out the attack at the judicial complex a few days later.

The suicide explosion at the Judicial Complex left 12 people martyred and at least 36 wounded, including lawyers and petitioners, and prompted the suspension of court proceedings. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the attacker detonated near a police vehicle after failing to enter the courthouse.

Police reported the blast set nearby cars ablaze and scattered debris across the area.

An investigation report prepared by the police stated the bomber arrived in Islamabad last Friday and travelled to the court from Pirwadhai on a motorcycle.

The attack, the capital’s first suicide bombing in nearly three years, since December 2022, occurred as Islamabad was hosting major international events, including the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference and the sixth Margalla Dialogue.

Since then, the federal government has announced the arrest of four members of a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan/Fitna al-Khawarij (TTP/FAK) cell linked to the suicide attack at the Islamabad District Judicial Complex, G-11. 

Sajidullah alias Sheena, who was the handler of the suicide bomber, confessed that TTP/FAK Commander Saeed-ur-Rehman alias Daadullah (resident of Charmang, Bajaur, currently in Afghanistan, and serving as TTP’s Intelligence Chief for Nawagai, Bajaur) contacted him through the Telegram application to carry out a suicide attack in Islamabad to cause maximum casualties of LEAs.

The official statement released by the government’s X handle also said that Daadullah sent pictures of the suicide bomber (SB) Usman alias Qari to Sajidullah alias Sheena for receiving him. SB Usman Qari belonged to the Shinwari tribe and was a resident of Achin, Nangarhar, Afghanistan. When he reached Pakistan from Afghanistan, Sajidullah alias Sheena arranged his stay in a residence near Islamabad.

On the directions of Afghanistan-based TTP/FAK (Fitna al-Khawarij) Commander Daadullah, Sajidullah alias Sheena collected a suicide jacket from Akhun Baba graveyard in Peshawar and brought it to Islamabad. On the day of the blast at Judicial Complex G-11, Sajidullah Sheena set the suicide jacket on SB Usman alias Qari, it added.

The attack came against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the issue of terrorism which even resulted in border clashes between the two neighbours last month.

A day before the Islamabad blast, a group of militants infiltrated Wana Cadet College. Security forces carried out a successful operation, safely evacuating all students and staff and killing the attackers who had taken shelter inside.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday warned that Pakistan could conduct strikes inside Afghanistan following recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and South Waziristan, criticising the Afghan Taliban authorities for harbouring militants behind the violence.