MANSEHRA, May 11: A local leader of the outlawed Harkatul Mujahideen has been arrested under the Anti-Terrorist Act and police claimed to have found automatic weapons in his possession. Mujahid Mohyuddin, 34, was held during a reception for Maulana Fazalur Rehman near the Government Postgraduate College on Monday. Upon Fazalur Rehman’s arrival, Mohyuddin resorted to aerial firing. He resisted attempts by the police to stop him from firing. But he was later overpowered and placed under arrest. A police search found two 30-bore pistols in his possession.

A search of his pick-up (license plate No.AJK-6061), yielded a sten-gun and 168 rounds of ammunition.

A case was registered against him under sections 6/7 and section 11 EE of Anti-Terrorist Act late last night at the Model police station in Mansehra city. Mohyuddin was presented before an Anti-Terrorist Court in Abbottabad on Tuesday.

Mohyuddin had been living in Nara Doga area of upper Tanawal area with armed bands of militants. He, along with other militants of the banned outfit and workers of JUI (F), had stormed the district court in Mansehra in a protest at the results of NA-20, Mansehra-I and PF-55, Mansehra-III during the last general elections. Their action came in response to the electoral defeat of Maulana Ghulam Nabbi Shah and Mufti Kifayatullah, both MMA candidates.

Mohyuddin is believed to have hoisted the flags of banned jehadi outfits on the courtroom of the returning officer of NA-20 and his colleagues had laid siege to the courtroom of the returning officer of the PF-55 constituency. Mohyuddin earned fame after he, with the help of his armed cohorts, forced some criminals of the area to surrender. He, however, developed enmity with the criminals of Tanawal area.

Two months ago, Harkat militants and the JUI (F) workers again stormed the courts, when an additional sessions judge of Mansehra rejected the pre-arrest bail of Mohyuddin in a firing case. The militants used abusive language against the judges in their speeches. Mohyuddin was later set free.

He had hurled threats against the opposition leader in the NWFP Assembly, Shahzada Mohammad Gustasap Khan, who had condemned the storming of the courts and the verbal abuse faced by the judges.