Foreign passport found inside Lal Masjid

Islamabad, July 14: Security forces found a partially burnt passport of a neighbouring country during the combing operations in Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid.

The passport has become the focus of attention for the intelligence agencies since the country has a history of targeting jihadi organisations, media reports cited a source as saying.

The source said the foreign passport was found from killed deputy khateeb Abdul Rashid Ghazi's belongings and has been sent to an intelligence agency for further investigation. The presence of the foreign passport in the residence of the late madrassa leader had left senior intelligence officials wondering if secret agents of the enemy state had penetrated into jihadi organisations.

Meanwhile, throwing further light on how Ghazi was killed, the source said he was shot while trying to escape through a breach in the wall of Jamia Hafsa with his three foreign guards.

''Ghazi and his guards were heading towards the nullah behind the Jamia Hafsa madrassa, when spotted by anti-terrorist Zarrar unit of Special Services Group (SSG),'' the report said. The commandoes chased Ghazi and his guards and the latter took refuge in a room near the breach in the wall.

One of Ghazi's guards, an Uzbek, fired on a commando who was trying to take a look inside the room. The militant's bullet missed the commando, who retaliated, killing all the four men inside, said the source.

The security forces found that some parts of Ghazi's residence had been burnt, suggesting he tried to burn all his belongings before heading towards the nullah. The security forces also found a large number of partially burnt local and foreign currency in some boxes. One of the boxes contained undamaged local money amounting to Rs 1.5 million.

Apparently negotiations between PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Ghazi for a peaceful solution to the standoff failed due to the issue of foreign militants.

Once all the issues were settled, Ghazi told Shujaat there were some 'foreign friends' who should also be given amnesty and safe passage with him.

Ghazi repeated this demand thrice, another source privy to the negotiations told Daily Times. He added that the entire conversation was recorded on the mobile phone used in the talks and the government had secured the evidence.

Daily Times was told that there were 15 foreigners in the Lal Masjid complex and all of them were expert snipers. A group of these snipers had killed SSG's Lt Col Haroonul Islam during the operation.

UNI

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