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| India-Pakistan |
| PHC releases 4 accused of Dargai suicide attack |
| 2008-05-03 |
| The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday released on bail four activists from the defunct militant organisation Jaish-e-Muhammad, who were charged with the killing of 42 army recruits of the Punjab Regiment Centre (PRC) in Dargai. On November 8, 2006, at least 42 army recruits of the PRC were killed and more than 60 others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a military training centre where the recruits were attending a class outside the PRC Fort. Justice Jehanzaib Rahim heard the case. Accused Ziauddin, Muhammad Yousaf, Muhammad Shah and Umer Zeb had submitted their bail petitions through Advocate Yousaf Khan Yousafzai. The Dargai Police Station, in its FIR, charged the four — all residents of Swatt’s Matta tehsil — under sections 302, 324 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and sections 7 and 12 of the Anti-Terrorism Act on November 8, 2006.. The FIR stated that the four were active members of Jaish-e-Muhammad and that they were involved in the Dargai suicide attack. The accused petitioners, however, claimed that they were innocent and prayed for their release on bail. They said that on November 24, 2006, Matta DSP Sirajul Hasan phoned them, asking them to meet him at his office. Their family members said the four went to the DSP but did not return home for three days. “When we contacted the DSP, he said that they would return home within a week,” the family members said. They said police expressed ignorance about the four even after a week had passed. Advocate Yousafzai said the accused were detained in Taimergara District Prison. An Anti-Terrorism Court in Saidu had turned down the bail application by the four, following which they moved the PHC for their release on bail. |
| Posted by:Fred |