Three 145;suicide bombers146; held in Karachi

Pakistan police today arrested three suicide bombers after an encounter in a heavily populated area in Karachi while a red alert was declared in Islamabad following an intelligence tip off that four suicide bombers were planning attacks in the capital with the help of a local person.

The three bombers arrested in Karachi belonged to the Qari Zafar group, and had 8220;confessed to having links with al-Qaeda and the Taliban and have been operating out of the tribal areas of Pakistan bordering with Afghanistan,8221; Superintendent of Police Fayyaz Khan said.The men were arrested after an encounter in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, one of the most populated areas of Karachi.

Police recovered jackets used in carrying out suicide attacks along with three bombs, two pistols and grenades from their possession.

8220;This time they were planning fresh attacks in some cities and we have recovered a list from them in which Iraqi style suicide target attacks have been planned on some senior officials,8221; Khan said.

In Islamabad the foreign office asked diplomats and foreigners to restrict their moments till further announcement, Dawn reported. Officials of the Indian High Commission said no such information has been conveyed to them yet. Heavily armed police were seen deployed in many parts of the capital.