CTD arrests suspected financier of Safoora Goth massacre

CTD arrests suspected financier of Safoora Goth massacre Dawn.com | Imtiaz Ali — Updated about 7 hours ago Whatsapp 19 Comments Email Print KARACHI: The counter terrorism department (CTD) on Friday arrested the vice-chancellor of a private university from Karachi over charges of financing Al-Qaeda and allegedly aiding the Safoora Goth massacre, DawnNews reported. Adil Masood Butt, a close aide and the business partner of Safoora Goth attack’s main suspect Saad Aziz, was arrested by CTD from the Clifton area of the metropolis. Giving details, the CTD sources revealed that Butt’s name surfaced as the financier of the attack after the joint investigating team (JIT) interrogated another suspect, Khalid Yousuf. The evidence of Butt’s involvement was further established after his bank records were investigated, the counter-terrorism department said. Later, addressing a press conference to announce the arrest, CTD head Raja Umer Khattab said that Butt was the business partner of Saad Aziz alias Tin Tin. "Butt had studied at Indiana University in USA and later set up his own 'College of Accountancy and Management Sciences (CAMS),’ which has three branches in Karachi where around 2,000 students are studying," Khattab said. Women facilitators Khattab said during investigation it was revealed that that there is a strong 'women operated' network working alongside this group. The network includes Khalid Yusuf Bari's wife, Saad Aziz's wife and mother-in-law and Mufti Tauseef's wife who brainwash other women. The CTD head claimed that Khalid Bari's wife used to spread the Islamic State’s ideology through digital means. "These women also served the militant outfits by arranging suitable matrimonial matches and funds for the terrorists," said Khattab. He requested the general public to remain watchful while giving zakat or charity to any organisation, lest they will be included in any such investigation as facilitator for any terrorist activity. The highly educated suspect Adil Butt received his early education at Saint Patrick and Saint Paul schools before moving to the United States (US) for higher studies in 1987 where he obtained an MBA degree from New York’s Fordham University in 1992. In 1994, Butt, along with his partners, opened the College of Accounting and Management Sciences (CAMS), the institute has three branches and about 2,000 students are enrolled in the institute. In the year 2000, Butt became a follower of Dr Israr Ahmed and joined Tanzeem-i-Islami. He met Khalid Yusuf Bari, Sheba Ahmed and Dr Akmal Waheed through TI. Later, he left TI but remained in touch with Dr Waheed and allegedly started funding the terrorists through him. Fearing intelligence agencies, Waheed later stopped Butt from meeting and funding him directly but instead started sending a man, Umer Jalal, who collected the funds from him in NED University, where Butt worked as a lecturer. Umer Jalal too was linked to Al-Qaeda and was a part of the terrorist network which included Akmal Waheed, Saad Aziz, Mufti Tauseef , Saleem Ahmed and Suleman Saeed, according to the CTD press release. At least 43 people were killed and 13 others wounded on May 14 when armed men opened fire inside a bus carrying members of the Ismaili community near Safoora Chowk in Karachi. Sindh Police Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali said 60 people were on board the bus when six gunmen entered and executed 43 passengers. Ahmed Marwat, spokesman for Jundullah, a splinter group of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), had claimed responsibility for the attack. ================================================= Assistants of terror: How women raise funds for Da’ish in Karachi By Faraz Khan Published: December 21, 2015 165 SHARES Share Tweet Email PHOTO: AFP PHOTO: AFP KARACHI: It all started with a request. Short and simple. “Aap se darkhwast hai [We’re making a request to you]”. And that was enough. It was a code, used by Islamic State-inspired militants to raise funds for their activities in the metropolitan city. The women’s wing of the Middle Eastern terror outfit was mainly responsible for generating funds. Once the money had been collected, the women would give it to the male members of the group, who then passed it on to their head honchos. Another code came into play when the middle man came to receive the money. “Amanat de do [Please return the keepsake],” he would say. These words were enough. CTD to target ‘women’s wing’ of Islamic State-inspired group in Karachi Women’s role The women’s wing usually met at The Faith Academy school. “They [women] sent darkhwasts [requests] to well-off women, seeking donations for IS by using the name of the school,” explained an official of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). “After collecting the money, they used to hand it over to the male wing of the outfit,” he added. “Then Adil Butt, the recently-arrested CEO of the College of Accounting and Management Sciences (CAMS) used to hand over the funds to a person, identified as Omar, alias Jalal Chandio, who used the code word ‘Amanat de do’.” On Friday, CTD in-charge Raja Omar Khattab uncovered a group of women tasked by the militant group to arrange for marriages of their operatives and also raise funds for their activities. Though there are around a dozen women in this group, six of them were particularly active in collecting funds from different parts of the city. Three of them are accused of abetting the Safoora bus carnage in May, 2015. Female attacker from DG Khan praised Da’ish chief One of them is the wife of Omar alias Jalal Chandio, a key suspect of the Safoora attack, while another is the spouse of Adil Butt. The latter was arrested on December 2 from his residence in the Defence Housing Authority for his alleged role in the assault. Arrests likely CTD officials are likely to arrest the wife of Safoora attack mastermind Saad Aziz and other women affiliated with the IS-inspired group operating in the metropolis. “We were delaying the arrests because they are women,” said a CTD official. “But now the stage has come to arrest them. The women will be detained at the CTD’s detention centre where women police will be deployed round the clock.” Officials claim the women’s wing is being operated by the families, particularly the wives of the suspects arrested in connection with the Safoora carnage and other terrorist attacks in Karachi. Aziz’s wife and mother-in-law are key suspects in the case. So are the wives of retired PIA engineer Khalid Yousuf Bari, who was also arrested for his involvement in the attack, and Mufti Tauseef, who is an absconder in the case. Bari’s wife, along with the wife of Mufti Tauseef, and some other women are operating a strong network, said the official. But the key role lies with Bari’s wife. “Bari’s wife has a vital role in generating funds and brainwashing well-off women to garner support for IS. She also organised Aziz’s wedding,” said an official. Forensic experts are examining the laptops, cell phones and other valuables to get more evidence. “Bari’s wife also used to run an organisation – Idara al Zakra Academy – comprising around 20 women who used to generate funds in the names of donations, zakat and khairat for the terror outfit,” explained CTD in-charge Raja Omar Khattab. “Their other responsibility is to recruit women into the organisation through sermons and videos about IS by distributing USBs,” he added. Inconsistent policy: Da’ish outlawed despite doubts over its existence CTD officials say they have been keeping a close eye on the activities of this women’s wing. Besides, they have also started keeping watch on various educational institutions in Karachi, as well as other parts of Sindh, as the group has a considerable following in various colleges, universities and other educational institutions in the province from where they recruit highly-educated people. Four of their recruits have so far been arrested for their involvement in the Safoora carnage. Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2015.