Pakistan jailbreak team says it had ‘insider information’

AN ISLAMIST militant commander who helped plan an assault on a Pakistani jail on Sunday which freed nearly 400 prisoners said his group had inside information.

Pakistan’s Taleban movement, which is close to al-Qaeda, said it was behind the brazen assault by militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 assault rifles.

A police official said most of those who escaped from the jail in the north-western town of Bannu were militants, including one on death row for trying to assassinate former president General Pervez Musharraf.

“We had maps of the area and we had complete maps and plans of the jail as well,” the commander, a senior member of the Taleban, said by phone.

“All I have to say is we have people who support us in Bannu. It was with their support that this operation was successful.”

It was not possible to independently verify the claim, but Arshad Majeed, the inspector-general for prisons in the province did not rule out collusion.

The Bannu attackers arrived in a convoy of vehicles, blocking off all access points to the jail before firing rocket-propelled grenades at the black, metal gates of the prison and forcing their way in.

They moved through the prison quickly, facing little resistance, until they found Adnan Rasheed, who took part in one of the attempts to kill Gen Musharraf, and then freed him and 383 others.

Citing preliminary investigations, Mr Majeed said 150 guards were supposed to be on duty when the militants struck, but only 36 were.

The Taleban commander, based in North Waziristan, said 150 fighters, including foreigners, launched the prison assault after months of training.

Police officials said 76 escapees were now back in custody.

One, Zahir Shah, 29, said: “They took us with them to the main gate. Outside there were many cars. I think 20 cars in all. They shoved me into one of the vehicles and drove off really fast.”

However, he turned himself in, saying: “I could be out in a few years for good behaviour. I don’t want to ruin my chances.”