New Delhi, Mar 31 (IANS): Four years after his arrest, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Saifullah Mansoor, who infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir with the intention to carry out terrorist attacks at different places in India, including Delhi, has been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fine.
Mansoor, alias Bahadur Ali, along with his two associates Abu Saad and Abu Darda -- all trained Lashkar terrorists -- illegally infiltrated into the valley to carry out terrorist attacks at different places in India as per instructions given to them by their handlers based in Pakistan or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).
Security forces arrested Mansoor on July 25, 2016, from Yahama Mukam village in Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir.
The forces recovered large number of arms -- AK-47 Rifle, Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), ammunition, hand grenades, UBGL shells -- military map, wireless set, GPS, compass, Indian currency and Fake Indian Currency Notes from his possession.
On March 26, Special Judge for NIA cases in Delhi's Patiala House courts pronounced Mansoor's sentence.
This case was initially registered by NIA on July 27, 2016, pertaining to a larger conspiracy hatched by the LeT, a proscribed terrorist organization, based in Pakistan, to commit terror attacks in India.
During investigation, Mansoor revealed about the recruitment, various training camps of LeT, trainings to LeT terrorists about handling of weapons, explosives, wireless sets, night vision devices, GPS, Grid Reference and modus operandi for motivating the newly recruited cadres for jihad and terror acts in India by the leaders of LeT and also the details of launching pads of LeT in PoK.
The NIA on January 6, 2017, filed a charge sheet against Mansoor in the case.
Abu Saad and Abu Darda were killed in an encounter on February 14, 2017 in Kupwara district.
"During investigation two associates of Mansoor, namely Zahoor Ahmad Peer and Nazir Ahmad Peer both residents of Jammu and Kashmir were also arrested in this case. The trial in the case against other charge sheeted accused continues," the NIA said.