LAHORE: An al-Qaeda plot targetting key government installations in Lahore was today foiled with the killing of four terrorists who were on way to the city with explosives and assault rifles, authorities said.
Pakistani counterterrorism forces said the shootout occurred in Punjab province in the early hours.
Two rocket launchers, 1 kilogramme of explosives with ball-bearings, three pistols of 30 bore, one AK-47 rifle and four hand-grenades have been recovered from the scene.
According to sources, those killed included the head of Al-Qaeda Gujranwala chapter head Abdur Rehman.
The Gujranwala district police officer received information that seven militants belonging to the banned al- Qaeda were on their way to Lahore from Sialkot on a car and a motorcycle to attack important installations, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Punjab Police said.
“The CTD along with the police commandos set up a picket at Amnaabad, Gujranwala (some 80 kilometres from here), the CTD said in a statement.
“When the police team intercepted the suspects near Aimanabad and asked them to surrender they opened fire on it. Policemen returned the fire. During the crossfire, four terrorists were killed and the remaining three managed to escape, taking advantage of darkness,” it said. (AGENCIES)
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