How teenagers were lured by Taliban

PESHAWAR: An artificial paradise (Jannat) established by terrorists for brainwashing would-be suicide bombers has been captured by security forces in South Waziristan Agency.

The ‘Jannat’ in the Nawaz Kot area was shown to a visiting team of Peshawar-based journalists by ISPR authorities.

The journalists, who were taken to the place in a helicopter on Friday morning, took a round of the so-called paradise and later were briefed about the modus operandi for churning out suicide bombers.

The make-believe heaven consisted of four rooms. Each room contained exquisite paintings of lakes overflowing with milk and honey and scenic valleys inhabited by ‘hoors’ (beautiful women).

Religious teachers in the training centre used to show would-be bombers around and dupe them into believing that after their death in suicide attacks their stature would be equal to Sahaba-i-Karaam and that they would enjoy the company of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The term ‘Sahaba-i-Karaam’ refers to close associates of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Boys aged between 12 and 18 were trained to become suicide bombers under the supervision of Hakimullah Mehsud.

The TTP chief would keep hammering away at ‘an unending bliss awaiting you in Jannat dotted with lakes of milk and honey’, said Major Saleem in a briefing for journalists.

He told journalists the building also had a ‘slaughterhouse’ for killing kidnapped security officials. A huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized from there.

In reply to a question, Major Saleem said the security forces faced tough resistance before capturing the militant stronghold. Two bombers and their trainers were taken into custody.

The troops came upon a significant quantity of hashish and compact discs after they set about securing the building. Books and magazines in Arabic, Pushto and Uzbek languages were strewn all over the place.

Later the visiting journalists were taken to Makin and Ziarsar area of Spin Kamar.

Colonel Asif Mehmud, the operation commander, told the journalists that Makin was believed to be the hub of Taliban and the forces overcame stiff resistance before its fall.

Makin harboured a training centre that was run by Baitullah Mehsud when he used to live nearby in the house of his uncle. The forces had taken all hilltops and purged the area of militants, Colonel Mehmud said.

Anti-tank mines, rockets, missiles and other weapons of foreign make were shown to the visiting journalists.—APP