| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| The life and times of Qasim Toori — Part-I |
| 2008-03-28 |
| The investigation report of Qasim Tori, head of the militant outfit Jundullah, who was recently arrested by the Karachi Police, has some very interesting insights to offer. For example, in the report, during interrogation, Tori revealed how he turned into a militant from an ordinary, law-abiding citizen. Interrogators said that Qasim Tori had several aliases like Hamza, Suleman, Ijaz and also Butt Sahab. Tori is single and lives in Sector-17A, Shah Latif Town. He was arrested for the first time on January 29, 2008 after an encounter in Shah Latif. During interrogation, Tori revealed that he was born in Karachi. He did his matriculation from the PIA Model School and did intermediate from the Superior Science College, Shah Faisal Colony. He then went to the madrassa for an Islamic education and hifzed (remembered by heart) of 12 verses (parahs?). After working several jobs, he got a job in the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) office. During his one year at the job, he applied to and was subsequently recruited by the Police Department in 2002. However, soon afterwards he was dismissed from his post at the Sharae Faisal police station for sodomising a child. However, his friends were arrested for the crime while he managed to evade the law. Tori further said that Shazad Bajwa, who is presently in jail for the corps commander case, was ToriÂ’s class fellow with whom he lived after his dismissal. BajwaÂ’s house was in Model Colony house where one Atta-ur-Rehman also lived (who is now in jail). During their stay, several boys came to their house. Tori was also friends with some of the other people visiting them. Later, Tori found out that Atta-ur-Rehman was an Ameer and a Jundullah leader. Rehman appointed Bajwa as the Naib Ameer of the group and several young, educated boys were recruited in the outfit. After their arrest in the Corps Commander attack case, he escaped to upcountry. In the meanwhile, the Sindh government announced a reward of Rs0.5 million for anyone who helped in getting him arrested as well as his accomplice Tayab Daad alias Sohail Bhai. Toori further disclosed that before BajwaÂ’s arrest, the latter took him to Wana where he met with Abu Hamza alias Haji Mumtaz, an Egyptian national and also a Taliban and Al-Qaeda leader. During his disappearance, he moved to Wana to meet Haji Mumtaz. During his stay, Daad also came there, while Mumtaz trained him regarding the usage of weapons and explosives. They learned to make bombs and suicide jackets after which they started training young boys. In 2007, Mumtaz sent them to Karachi asking them to reorganise the group and generate funds for it. In Karachi, they settled in Junaid FarooqiÂ’s house alias Ibrahim (who was later killed) in Gulberg and another member Ibrar (killed) rented a house in Gaddafi Town and reorganised themselves from time to time. Tori further disclosed that during their stay, Mumtaz sent four latest weapons to them while one Mohammad Ishaq alias Gul Khan rented out a Toyota Corolla to them on Rs1,500 per day including other cars. The recovered car after the encounter in Shah Latif was rented out on Rs1,000 per day. |
| Posted by:john frum |