Indian border forces detain suspected suicide bomber

Jan 14, 2010, 12:28 GMT

New Delhi - India's Border Security Force arrested a Pakistani man near the border Thursday amid allegations that the 19-year-old was a trained suicide bomber, an official said.

Noman Arshad, of Singhpura near the Pakistani city of Lahore, was picked up in India's north-western state of Punjab while allegedly on a reconnaissance mission for terrorists, according to the Indian border force's Deputy Inspector General Mohammed Aqil.

Under questioning, the youth said that six or seven other trained suicide bombers, including three women, were ready to enter India across the border in Punjab to carry out attacks, Aqil said.

Arshad claimed he had been taught how to use weapons and explosives at the Okara training camp in Pakistan, where Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only surviving terrorist of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, also trained, the IANS news agency reported.

'We used to be blindfolded and taken to a training camp by the authorities in Pakistan. I and others have received training in weapons,' Arshad, who was produced before local reporters, said.

Arshad's arrest comes less than a week after rockets were fired into India from across the Punjab border in Pakistan by suspected militants.

Night patrols by India's Border Security Force were stepped up along the 553-kilometre barbed wire fence border after Saturday's rocket attacks.