Three Indian Mujahideen activists get life imprisonment in Karnataka

Mangaluru: Three Indian Mujahideen activists were sentenced to life imprisonment by a court here for making explosives and conspiring with the outfit's founder Riyaz Bhatkal to carry out terror attacks here and other places in the country.

Sayeed Mohammed Noushad, Ahamed Bava Aboobakkar and Fakeer Ahamad were given life terms by Additional District and Sessions Judge S H Pushpanjali Devi.

The accused, residents of Mukkachery and Chembugudde of Ullal village of Mangaluru Taluk, were arrested in 2008 and explosive materials seized from their houses.

The prosecution had charged them with conspiracy to commit unlawful activity, which would have taken lives of many innocent people, but for timely police action.

In the verdict delivered here yesterday, the judge also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on all the three for offences under Section 16 (1) (b) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Section 5 (b) of the Explosive Substances Act, Section 120 (b) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 25 (1)(A)(A) of the Arms Act.

Fakeer Ahamad was sentenced to an additional life term under Section 6 of the Explosives Act.

Noushad was also sentenced to seven years of imprisonment and slapped with a fine of Rs 5,000 for offence under Section 420 (cheating) of the IPC, three years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3,000 each for offences under Sections 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the IPC.

Noushad was also an accused in the serial blasts in Surat and Ahmedabad.

The judge said the life sentences would run concurrently.