The interrogation of a militant arrested in connection with the planning and training of a suicide attack on Islamabad’s courthouse has revealed startling disclosures, Information Minister Atta Tarar said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said the suicide bombing attempt in the capital’s outskirts on November 12 was thwarted through timely action.

He added that within 48 hours, a joint operation by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) led to the arrest of four suspects, whose confessional statements have revealed the entire plot.

According to Tarar, the detained militant, Sajidullah alias Sheena, confessed that he had been in contact with a Bajaur-based commander of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who instructed him to travel to Afghanistan.

Sajidullah said he moved from Jalalabad to Kabul, where he was briefed on the planned attack on Islamabad.

The suicide jacket, he revealed, had been procured from a graveyard in Peshawar and delivered to the capital.

He further admitted that the order for the suicide attack came from Noor Wali Mehsud, based in Kabul, and that he had maintained communication with other militants in Afghanistan.

The suicide bomber himself was a resident of Nangarhar, and the group was targeting areas on the outskirts of Islamabad, Tarar said.

The minister stated that the swift action by security agencies prevented a large-scale tragedy.

He added that another figure identified as Qari Usman later contacted Sajidullah to provide further instructions.

It may be recalled that on November 12, a suicide bombing outside the Judicial Complex killed 12 people and injured 36.

Following the attack, security was tightened across the country and in subsequent operations, the IB and CTD arrested four militants linked to the outlawed TTP as well as a facilitator who had rented out a room to the suicide bomber.

According to investigators, Sajidullah alias Sheena served as the handler of the bomber.

During interrogation, he claimed that the order for the Judicial Complex attack had been issued by Saeedur Rehman alias Dadullah, a commander of the extremist outfit Fitna Al Khawarij.