The recent surge in suicide attacks has put security agencies’ focus on funeral prayers, especially the ones offered in the absence of dead bodies – ghaibana namaz-e-janaza – in their efforts to identify the bombers that have carried out attacks and to determine which group they were attached to, sources told Daily Times. The sources said that funeral prayers in the absence of dead bodies were suspected of being offered for suicide bombers, and one such gathering in Mulazai village on the outskirts of Peshawar on Wednesday was under security agencies’ scrutiny. With suicide bombers leaving little evidence behind, such gatherings are seen as one of the few ways for investigators to reach the perpetrators of the crime. “We are investigating whether the funeral prayers in Mulazai village were offered for the bomber who blew himself up in Islamabad on January 26,” said the sources.
Undercover agents from all security services were among hundreds present at Wednesday’s funeral prayers for Muhammad Amin (29) – a resident of Mulazai village who was associated with Al-Rashid Trust – in the absence of his body. “Yes, the prayers were offered for our brother Amin,” Rahat Sher told Daily Times in an open field near his mud house. Rahat said Al-Rashid Trust had told their family that Amin “embraced shahadat”. “No, the trust did not say whether Amin was killed in a suicide mission or a gunbattle.”
“I think he died in Kashmir, as he spent much of his time with Al-Rashid Trust while assisting earthquake relief activities in Kashmir and NWFP,” he added.
However, residents of the area told Daily Times they had heard from Amin’s close relatives that he “blew himself up in Afghanistan to target Americans”.
“You want to visit the home of Amin, who died in a suicide mission?” said local residents when they were asked for the location of the house of the man for whom the prayers were offered.