Mohammed Aqeel

Aqeel

Mohammed Aqeel (Urdu: محمد عقیل; alias Dr. Usman) (d. December 19, 2014, by hanging) was a Pakistani militant and member of the banned terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and former soldier[1] in Pakistan Army Medical Corps where he worked until 2006. Originally from Kahuta Tehsil in Punjab.[2]

Aqeel was suspected of involvement in the February 2008 assassination of Lieutenant General Mushtaq Ahmed Baig, the Surgeon General of the Army Medical Corps.[3] Dr. Usman was also arrested in connection with the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing in September 2008.[4]

Aqeel is the suspected mastermind of March 3, 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team. On March 9, 2009 he escaped when police raided his hideout early in the morning.[5] He has also been suspected of an attack on retired General Pervez Musharraf.[6] He was said to have fled to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas several days prior to the raid.[7]

Months later Aqeel took part in the attack on the Pakistan Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. He was captured in October 2009 while holding hostages and trying to blow himself up; Aqeel was injured in the process.[8]

In 2011, Aqeel was sentenced to death by a military court.[9] During the government of Asif Ali Zardari, he filled a mercy plea but it was rejected.[10]

After 2014 Peshawar school attack, moratorium on the capital punishment was lifted in terror-related cases by Nawaz Sharif after which Aqeel along with Arshad Mehmood, who was convicted of an assassination attempt on General Pervez Musharraf, were scheduled for execution. In the evening of December 19, Aqeel and Arshad both hanged at the Faisalabad Jail.[11][12]

  1. ^ Haider, Mateen (20 December 2014). "Dr Usman, Arshad Mehmood executed in Faisalabad". Dawn. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  2. ^ Niaz, Tahir (2009-10-13). "Who is 'Dr Osman'?". Daily Times. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  3. ^ Soldiers turning rogue Pak's new terror headache
  4. ^ Four Marriott accused linked to suicide network, ATC told
  5. ^ Lahore attack 'mastermind' escapes police raid in Punjab, The Times, 2009-03-09
  6. ^ Mastermind behind attack on Sri Lankan cricket team identified, Xinhua News Agency, 2009-03-09
  7. ^ Bungled raid raises doubts about Pakistan's will to fight extremism, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2009-03-11
  8. ^ "GHQ operation completed with the arrest of injured terrorists' top dog". The news. 2009-10-11. Retrieved 2009-10-11. [dead link‍]
  9. ^ "Preparations to execute Dr Usman underway". Pak Tribune. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  10. ^ "COAS signs death warrant of GHQ attack mastermind, will be hung in 24 hours". The News Tribe. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  11. ^ "Pakistan makes final preparations to hang two terrorists". Times of India. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  12. ^ "GHQ attacker along with five others to be hanged in next 24 hours". Pakistan Today. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.