KARACHl: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed to have arrested four suspected militants belonging to the outlawed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) in a raid in the SITE area on Thursday.

A CTD spokesperson said that police, along with an intelligence agency, carried out an intelligence-based raid and arrested Mohammed Amin alias Munna, Mohammed Shahnawaz alias Saleem, Maaz Khan and Yaseen Khan.

The spokesperson claimed that the held suspects had recently targeted three persons, including a cleric, in the Orangi Town and Manghopir areas.

He said that two 9mm pistols and two TT pistols were recovered from their possession and these were the same weapons used in the targeted attacks.

The CTD claimed that Amin alias Munna and Shahnawaz were `hardened terrorists` of the banned sectarian group. `Both of them were arrested and remained behind bars for nine years and 18 months, respectively, for their involvement in some murder and attempted murder cases.

`The held suspects were trying to expand the network of the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi in Orangi Town,` he said, adding: `They had established a secret cell and were carrying out targeted killings in Manghopir, Iqbal Market and Pakistan Bazaar areas of Orangi Town.