"I was studying in a seminary in Peshawar. About seven months ago, Taliban activist Qari Abdul Basheer, who often visited our seminary, asked me whether I was interested in getting a job with a handsome salary in Lahore and I agreed," teenager Muhammad Mohiyuddin told the media.

"After arriving in Lahore, Basheer detained me in a house in Shahdara and wanted to use me as a suicide bomber," Mohiyuddin said. The boy, who was paraded before the media along with the other suspects on Monday, pleaded his innocence and said he should get justice.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad claimed it had foiled a major terrorist plot by arresting the six suspects. Senior police officials said they were planning to target the five-star Pearl Continental Hotel to kill Americans and other foreign nationals.

Police said they had seized 30 grenades, a suicide jacket and five detonators from the suspects. "The suspects are associated with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. They planned to target Americans living in the Pearl Continental Hotel," SSP (Investigation) Zulifqar Hameed said.

Qari Basheer was also associated with Afghan's militant commander Nazir's group. "He is an expert in making suicide jackets and explosive devices," Hameed said. Basheer, who was a prayer leader in a mosque at Jamrud in the Khyber tribal region, had fought NATO forces in Afghanistan, police said.

"Commander Nazir sent explosives concealed in narcotics to notorious drug peddler Sakhi Shah of Green Town in Lahore," Hameed said. One of the arrested men, Dilawer Saeed, was a close associate of Sakhi Shah, he added.