Lahore: A 14-year-old boy arrested with
five terror suspects who were allegedly plotting an attack on
a five-star hotel to kill Americans has said that a Pakistani
Taliban activist had lured him to this eastern city with the
promise of a job.
"I was studying in a seminary in Peshawar. About seven
months ago, (Taliban activist) Qari Abdul Basheer, who often
visited our seminary, asked me whether I was interested in
getting a job with a handsome salary in Lahore and I agreed,"
teenager Muhammad Mohiyuddin told the media.
"After arriving in Lahore, Basheer detained me in a
house in Shahdara and wanted to use me as a suicide bomber,"
Mohiyuddin said.
The boy, who was paraded before the media along with
the other suspects yesterday, pleaded his innocence and said
he should get justice.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad claimed it had foiled a major
terrorist plot by arresting the six suspects. Senior police
officials said they were planning to target the five-star
Pearl Continental Hotel to kill Americans and other foreign
nationals.
Police said they had seized 30 grenades, a suicide
jacket and five detonators from the suspects.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010, 12:04