The Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Friday convicted four Al-Qaida Indian Subcontinent (a wing of Al-Qaida) operatives for planning terrorist attacks against India. The court also acquitted two men suspected of being operatives.
Mohd Asif, Mohd Abdul Rehman, Zafar Masood, and Abdul Sami were convicted by Special Judge Sanjay Khanagwal of Patiala House Court under sections 18 (Conspiracy for Terrorism Act) and 18B (Recruitment for Terrorism Act) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
The court is expected to hear arguments on the sentence’s quantum on February 14. The maximum sentence under the sections is life imprisonment.
According to the Delhi police, in December 2015, information was received that Al-Qaeda was attempting to establish a base in India under the banner of Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), and had announced Asim Umar as its chief.
The cops also learned that some men from western Uttar Pradesh had left India to join the AQIS cadre in Pakistan, and that one of its modules was active in the Sambhal District of Uttar Pradesh.
Mohd. Asif is from Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh and is said to have travelled to Iran and Turkey. According to the police, he also headed the AQIS.
According to Delhi Police, Abdul Rehman, who was arrested in Cuttack, Odisha, illegally visited Pakistan and met top militants there, including Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Sajid, both of whom are wanted in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Abdul Sami received his training in Pakistan.
Syed Mohd Zeeshan Ali and Sabeel Ahmad were the two men who were acquitted after being arrested for allegedly providing financial and logistical support to AQIS cadres in the UAE.
