Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow

Lucknow, Nov 29: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has secured convictions against Mohd. Mustaqueem and Shakeel, both residents of Lucknow, in the high-profile Al-Qaeda terror conspiracy case, the agency announced on Saturday.

The special NIA court in Lucknow found the duo guilty under Section 25(1B)(a) of the Arms Act, read with Section 120B of the IPC, and sentenced them to 20 months imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5,000 each.

Earlier, on October 30, 2025, the court had convicted Mohammad Moid in the same case, which involves arrests linked to the banned Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation.

The case traces back to July 11, 2021, when the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested Umar Halmandi in Lucknow. Umar, based near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was reportedly involved in radicalisation and recruitment for AQIS (Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent), intending to mobilize youth for terrorist acts in various U.P. cities ahead of Independence Day 2021.

Following investigations, the NIA filed a main and a supplementary chargesheet, bringing charges against a total of six accused in connection with the conspiracy.