LUCKNOW: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Lucknow has sentenced three key operatives of Al-Qaeda-linked terror module to life imprisonment for conspiracy to carry out coordinated attacks across Uttar Pradesh.The verdict was pronounced by special judge Jainendra Kumar Pandey on Monday. Those convicted are Musiruddin alias Musir, 41, Minhaj Ahmed alias Minhaj, 31, both from Lucknow and Tauheed Ahmed Shah alias Sobu Shah, 19, of Kashmir. The court imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on each convict. The court observed that the accused were part of a well-planned criminal conspiracy aimed at threatening the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the nation.The court convicted them under Sections 121A (criminal conspiracy to wage war) and 122 IPC (collecting arms with intent to wage war), along with life term under Section 20 of the UAPA.The UP ATS had received intelligence inputs that a Pakistan-Afghanistan border-based Al-Qaeda handler, Umar Halmandi, was actively radicalising and recruiting individuals in India to build an AQ-IS module.On this information, ATS teams conducted coordinated searches on July 11, 2021, at multiple locations in Lucknow, including the residences of Musiruddin and Minhaj in Lucknow.ATS recovered explosive substances, IED-making material, arms, ammunition, and other incriminating items. Musiruddin and Minhaj Ahmed were arrested the same day, and an FIR was registered at ATS police station in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar under provisions of the IPC, UAPA, Explosive Substances Act, and Arms Act. Tauheed was arrested from Budgam in Kashmir in Feb 2022.Following the arrests and recovery and due to its gravity and interstate as well as international terror links. On July 28, 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the investigation to the NIA. The NIA registered the case on July 29, 2021.Special public prosecutor, NIA, MK Singh, told TOI that investigations revealed that the accused, along with their associates, were part of a larger AQ-IS-linked module operating under Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. Acting under instructions from foreign handlers, they were allegedly planning coordinated terror strikes across Uttar Pradesh, particularly in Lucknow, ahead of Independence Day in 2021.The targets included crowded public places, govt installations, and other sensitive locations, with plans involving bomb blasts and possibly suicide attacks to cause maximum casualties and destabilise public order.Singh argued that the accused had taken an oath to join the banned terror organisation and were actively involved in spreading extremist ideology and recruiting others. They were also found to be collecting funds and resources to support terror activities. Statements of co-accused and digital forensic evidence further strengthened the case.“During the trial, the prosecution examined over 40 witnesses and presented a wide range of documentary and electronic evidence, including FIRs, recovery memos, call detail records (CDRs), forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports, and chargesheets,” said Singh.
