Islamabad police shoot dead would-be bomber: Police Deserves Appreciation

Capital police shoot dead would-be bomber
The News, November 09, 2009 - By Shakeel Anjum

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Police, foiling an attempt of terrorism, gunned a suicide bomber at a police picket on the Margalla Road near E-11 as the suspected bomber cried ‘Allah-ho-Akbar’ while trying to blow him up.

The police targeted the head of the suicide bomber just before he triggered the explosive device.Experts and bomb disposal squad defused the explosive after an hour-long struggle and cleared the situation.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Islamabad, Syed Kaleem Imam, terming it a great achievement of the police, said, “We are proud of the personnel who foiled the terrorism bid and protected the people’s lives in such perilous circumstances.”

The IGP said the police were trying to intercept the vehicle, which had dropped the terrorist. “It is premature to say that the vehicle was explosive-laden or it only facilitated the suicide bomber,” he said.

The interior minister, appreciating the police performance, ordered one-step promotion for the personnel deployed at the police picket. Station House Officer (SHO), Shalimar Police Station, Altaf Aziz Khatak, told The News that he was standing in the middle of the green belt dividing the Margalla Road during checking of Nakas when a black twin cabin came from the E-11 Signal Chowk at about 9.40 pm, dropped a bearded young man and sped away towards the Saddam Chawk, Golra side.

Meanwhile, the young man cried Allah-ho-Akbar and started running towards the picket, the SHO said adding that he, perceiving the danger, asked the personnel to lie down on the ground. He said that he, as well as ASI Malik Mumtaz, Head Constables Moojad Shah, Nazim Hussain and Ali Raza, whipped out their guns and started firing, aiming at his head. He said that he rushed to the terrorist after he fell down and checked his body, adding that the suspected bomber was wearing a suicide jacket.

Khatak said that he informed the police control, asking it to send an ambulance and the bomb disposal unit to defuse the explosive jacket. The SHO said that the suspected bomber was about 25 years with 5.7 height and wearing Shalwar-Qamiz and white joggers. He said that he belonged to Waziristan.