A special NIA court in Lucknow sentenced Mohammad Moid to the period already spent in custody for his role in an Al Qaeda-linked terror plot. The 2021 case involved a foiled AGH plan to strike in Uttar Pradesh
National Investigation Agency. Pic/iStock
In a significant development in the on-going probe into a terror conspiracy linked to the banned Al Qaeda organisation, a Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Lucknow on Thursday sentenced an accused to imprisonment and imposed a fine in a case related to a terror conspiracy linked to the banned Al Qaeda organisation, operating from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The court on Thursday sentenced Mohammad Moid, a resident of Lucknow, to the period he has already spent in jail -- one year, nine months, and 13 days -- in connection with a terror conspiracy linked to the banned Al Qaeda organisation.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Moid under Section 25(1B)(a) of the Arms Act read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code. The sentence was pronounced after the accused pleaded guilty before the court, officials said.
The sentencing marks a milestone in the case that traces its roots to a foiled plot by Al Qaeda’s affiliate, Ansaar Gajwatul Hind (AGH), to unleash terror in Uttar Pradesh ahead of Independence Day 2021.
Moid, a resident of Lucknow, was convicted under Section 25(1B)(a) of the Arms Act read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, a statement of the agency said.
He had pleaded guilty, leading the court to sentence him to the period he had already spent in custody -- one year, nine months, and thirteen days.
His conviction stems from his role in aiding the procurement of arms and ammunition to further AGH’s terror agenda.
The case dates back to July 2021, when the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested two Al Qaeda operatives based on intelligence provided by Umar Halmandi, a key recruiter for the group, said the statement.
Halmandi had identified and recruited individuals in Lucknow to establish a local module of Al Qaeda, with AGH tasked to execute a series of attacks in major cities of the state, particularly Lucknow, before August 15, 2021, it said.
Following the arrests, the NIA took over the investigation and filed a chargesheet against five individuals on 5 January 2022, later supplementing it with another in August that year.
The trial against the remaining accused is still underway. According to NIA findings, Moid, along with Shakeel and Mohd. Mustaqeem, had supported Minhaj and Museeruddin in acquiring weapons and explosives.
Minhaj had been radicalised by Tawheed and Adil Nabi alias Musa, and subsequently conspired with Museeruddin, who had pledged allegiance (baiyat) to the cause.
The duo had amassed arms and explosive materials with the intent to wage war against the Government of India.
The sentencing of Moid underscores the gravity of the threat posed by transnational terror outfits and the vigilance of Indian security agencies in thwarting such conspiracies.
As the trial continues for the remaining accused, the case remains a stark reminder of the persistent efforts required to combat terrorism on domestic soil.
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