The commandos from SSG, during the rescue operation in GHQ, arrested the terrorist 'commander', Muhammad Aqeel alias 'Dr Usman', in injured condition on Sunday morning. He is said to be the mastermind of the terrorist attack on Sri Lanka Cricket team also, said Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas on Sunday.
He said that Aqeel had managed to escape in the first phase of the operation, but the commandos overpowered him soon. He was injured during the operation. Aqeel later was taken to undisclosed destination for investigation, and there are possibilities of sensational revelations from him.
He said that two terrorists, out of four who were killed on Sunday morning, were wearing suicide jackets. But they could not do any harm as the commandos first targeted them successfully and freed the hostages.
Aqeel is linked with 'Punjabi Taliban', Defence sources said, adding that he was leading the attack on GHQ. They said that Aqeel was heading a group of terrorists which has been involved in several heinous incidents. It is learnt that Aqeel belongs to Tehsil Kahota of Rawalpindi district and is a former sepoy of Army Medical Corps. He was the mastermind and leader of the gang of terrorists who attacked the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore. Thereafter, Aqeel along with the accomplices avoided arrest and fled to Waziristan, sources said.
Aqeel was also accused of planning attack on President Pervez Musharraf and was also wanted in the case. According to police sources, Aqeel belongs to 'Punjabi Tahrik e Taliban', which was set up three or four years ago, and had close ties with Baitullah Mehsud network. The police had arrested a member of 'Punjabi Tahrik e Taliban', Zubair alias Nek Muhammad, involved in attack on Sri Lanka cricket team, who had made startling disclosures about Aqeel.