Ansarul Shariah Pakistan chief was in contact with Al-Qaeda member: sources

KARACHI: The arrested head of Ansarul Shariah, who goes by the name of Dr Abdullah Hashmi, disclosed to the investigators that he had been in contact with most-wanted Al-Qaeda terrorist Abdullah Baloch, sources informed Geo News on Friday.

Baloch is also an active member of proscribed organisations of the country and suspected to be the mastermind of terror incidents of Sehwan shrine, Shikarpur blast and Shah Noorani blast.

Disclosing informing regarding his group, Abdullah said he had asked al-Qaeda’s Abdullah Baloch for assistance, but was told to operate on his own.

Dr Hashmi informed that due to Baloch’s proximity with the banned oraganisations, Ansarul-Shariah contacted him.

He also informed that Abdul Hafeez Pandrani assisted Baloch in conducting Shah Noorani blast.

The Ansarul Shariah chief informed that Baloch provides residential space and weapons to the terrorists.

Ansarul Sharia targetted police to make mark for themselves: sources

Group’s head made revelations after being arrested on September 4

In an earlier investigation, he also revealed that they were a network of 10 to 15 young men qualified from different universities of Karachi and were trained in Afghanistan. The group started operating towards the end of 2015.

The arrest of Abdullah on September 4 was confirmed by high-level security sources, who said law-enforcement agencies had information regarding a network of terrorists in University of Karachi.

Sources added that the law-enforcement agencies had even arrested a few suspects but had released them as no evidence could be found against them.

Ansarul Shariah Pakistan chief arrested by security forces: sources

Suspected terrorists had recorded all terrorist activities carried out in the metropolis.

However, according to sources, the accused group came to the forefront when evidence was found and arrests were made after the attack on Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan on Eid day.

According to the investigative sources, members of Ansarul Sharia wore an amulet in which they hid a memory card stored with important information. It is also said that the members would communicate using a certain mobile application.

The attack on MQM-P's leader took place on the first day of Eid, September 2. Although Izhar escaped unhurt, a passerby child and policeman were killed.

Ansarul Shariah

The group has been involved in multiple terrorism incidents in Karachi and Mastung, security sources have said.

The group first made headlines in Karachi in April this year in the targeted killing of a retired army colonel.

Police officials also believe the group is behind several attacks on police officials in Karachi in the past few months and an IED blast targeting security forces in Mastung.

The outfit was not inspired by Daesh's ideology, but instead, it was influenced by al Qaeda's Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. Initially, it did operate under Daesh's umbrella, however, differences led to the parting of the ways later.

The group comprises of militants from Al Qaeda Subcontinent, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Daesh, sources said.