ATS PICKS UP SUICIDE BOMBER

The State Anti-Terrorism Squad has arrested 32-yearold Faisal Hasan Mirza from Mumbai’s western suburbs. A senior ATS official said the man was planning to bump off some important personalities. He was trained to target public places, government places and conduct suicide attacks.

The disclosure has come day after former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif effectively admitted in an interview that his nation could have prevented the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

Mirza, who was arrested by the Juhu unit of Maharashtra ATS, had been to Pakistan via Sharjah and Dubai for training at a camp operated by a terror outfit. The police said the accused had got training in handling explosives, sophisticated firearms as well as suicide bombings – and all this at a Karachi-based camp run by a terror organisation.

"He was called to Pakistan by a person who is wanted for terrorist activities in Mumbai. The arrested man

first went to Sharjah to meet this wanted person, where the latter provided him logistics support," an official said.

"After spending some time in Sharjah, he was sent to Dubai and from there to Karachi. He then attended a training camp there run by a terror outfit," the official said, adding that it has been learnt that this outfit had the backing of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The official said the arrested man's interrogation had revealed that he was part of a terror group that planned to carry out attacks on public utilities and crowded places.

"He has also revealed that assassinations of some important personalities of the city were also planned. Investigations are underway to find out more on all these aspects," he said.

Mirza was presented before a local court which remanded him in ATS custody till May 21.