Police raids snare Sahil mastermind

THE so-called mastermind behind the kidnapping of five-year-old Sahil Saeed has been arrested, according to Pakistani police.

Another man wanted in connection with the kidnapping — as well as 22 murders — was also detained by officers yesterday.

The two suspects were captured during a series of raids in Jhelum, where the Shaw youngster was seized by four men armed with guns and grenades on March 4 before being released 13 days later.

Regional police chief Muhammad Aslam Tareen, who is leading the investigation, said the men had admitted taking part in the kidnapping. He said they had decided to take Sahil and demand a ransom during an opportunistic burglary. Police are now stressing that none of Sahil’s family were involved and it was a random attack by the gang. The police chief said the house was targeted after a door was left open.

He added: “They went to rob a house and when they were on the move they saw the door was open. They entered the house and started searching for valuables and cash.

“But they couldn’t find much so they decided to take the boy and make a demand for ransom. They have admitted that they have done this.

“They are professional criminals. We are still in search of two others. We are after them and will catch them.”

He said one of those arrested was the alleged “mastermind” and the other was already wanted in Rawalpindi, where his gang had allegedly committed 22 murders. They are believed to have been involved in previous kidnappings.

The men were arrested at different locations in Jhelum during raids across the city involving 200 officers. A “huge quantity” of arms and ammunition was also recovered, including Kalashnikovs, automatic weapons, hand grenades, rocket launchers and explosive devices.

The two suspects were paraded, with black hoods over their heads, in front of the media by the police. One told a local journalist they had looked after Sahil as they would any other child in their family.

The news came as Sahil’s mother Akila Naqqash, from Queen Street, Shaw, said her son hoped to return to Rushcroft Primary School next week. Sahil has said little about his ordeal.

Akila has vowed never to return to Pakistan.

At the weekend, Sahil’s father, Raja Naqqash Saeed, described how the heavily armed gang demanded £200,000 and threatened to put an explosive jacket on his son and “blow him to pieces”.

The demand was slowly negotiated down to £110,000 and Sahil was released unharmed. The case has involved investigators in Pakistan, the UK, Spain and France, as well as Interpol.

Three people — two Pakistani men and a Romanian woman — have already appeared in court in Spain. Two others were arrested in France.