Pakistan university professor, his niece arrested for ISIS links

Lahore: A professor at a Lahore university, where 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed taught Islamic studies, has been arrested along with his niece for their alleged links with the Islamic State terror group.

The University of Engineering and Technology (UET) professor and his niece were arrested with two others during a raid in Karachi last night, according to Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Police.

"The professor and the other three suspects have been moved to an undisclosed location for interrogation," a CTD official said, adding the suspects were active ISIS members.

They had been planning to attack a public gathering, using drones meant for television coverage. The CTD has recovered maps of "sensitive installations" and educational institutions from the suspects.

The official said the professor was in touch with ISIS leaders in Syria through emails. Saeed is said to have once taught at the Lahore university. According to a report in Pakistani newspaper.

The Nation on April 23 last year, Saeed also addressed the students of the University of Engineering and Technology.

Last month, the CTD arrested a second-year student of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro, Sindh. Naureen Laghari, 20, who is said to have visited Syria in February to join Islamic State, said she was to be used as a suicide bomber to attack a church in Lahore on Easter.

Separately, the CTD arrested two members of the Lashkar- e-Jhangvi Al-Almi group and seized eight detonators and other explosive materials from them during a raid on Monday.