Terrorist arrested for Sri Lankan team attack in Lahore

LAHORE - A key terror suspect has been arrested for his involvement in the March 2009 brazen attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore that left six players injured and six escorting policemen dead.

Express Tribune Tuesday quoted police officials as confirming the arrest of Qari Abdul Wahab, alias Umar alias Farhan alias Behram alias Umar Daraz, son of Akbar.

At least six Sri Lankan cricketers — captain Mahela Jayawaredene, his deputy Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana and Chaminda Vaas — were injured when the team bus came under heavy attack from gunmen en route to the Gaddafi Stadium for a Test match.

Six escorting policemen were killed in the attack that took place near the Liberty Market crossing.

The attacker was identified with the help of the footage of the terror strike.

He was the one of the shooters, police officials said.

Wahab hails from to Dera Ismail Khan and was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the police said.

Umar Virk, a police official, said that Wahab was arrested Monday.

Trained at a camp in Waziristan, Wahab knows how to prepare suicide jackets, load vans with explosives and operate all types of weapons, the official said.

He said that Wahab had come to Lahore to carry out more attacks.