10 terrorists arrested, record explosives seized in SW Pakistan
Xinhua | 2013-8-21 8:21:30
By Agencies
Pakistan's paramilitary forces on Tuesday arrested 10 suspected terrorists and also seized more than 100 tonnes of bomb-making chemicals and explosives in the country's southwestern provincial capital of Quetta, officials said.
Commandant of Frontier Constabulary Colonel Maqbool Ahmed Shah said that the forces conducted a raid at a compound in the Satellite Town area of Quetta, arresting 10 people and recovering a large cache of explosives.
Shah said forces also found wires, detonators, remote controls, ball bearings and mixers that were used to prepare bombs out of the chemicals.
"We have arrested 10 people during the raid at a compound and seized 100.5 tons of explosive materials along with other instruments," Shah said.
Local media quoting some official sources said that was the biggest seizure of explosives and chemicals in the country's history.
The forces also found a truck in the compound that was also fully loaded with the explosive materials.
"Suspected terrorists told investigators that explosives-laden vehicles were also prepared in the compound to use in suicide attacks," Shah said.
The accused were shifted to an unidentified place by the forces for investigation.
Pakistan's southwestern restive province of Balochistan and its capital Quetta have been frequently hit by bomb attacks including vehicle bombs. Hundreds of people have been killed so far in the suicide attacks during last two years in which explosives-laden vehicles were used to hit the target.
