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KARACHI: Convicted activists of Jundullah flash victory signs from a police van, as they are brought for a hearing to an anti-terrorist court in Karachi. The court sentenced 11 members of an Al-Qaeda-linked militant group to death for an attack on the car of General Ahsan Saleem Hayat. |
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KARACHI, February 22 (Online): The anti-terrorist court (ATC)-2 on Tuesday awarded death penalty and life imprisonment to the 11 activists of Jundullah group for attacking the convoy of former Corps Commander Karachi, and incumbent Vice Chief of Army Staff, General Ahsan Saleem Hayat in Karachi on June 10, 2004.
Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti also handed down 14-year and 10-year rigorous imprisonment to the accused for planting a bomb at the venue of the attack and damaging public property respectively, besides attachment of their moveable and immovable property. The court ordered the convicts to pay Rs one lakh each to the heirs of the deceased.
The convicts will also have to pay Rs 50,000 each as fine in attempt to murder case, and in case of default, they will have to serve the jail for additional six months.
The ATC imposed another fine of Rs 50,000 each on the accused for damaging the public property. In case of default, they will have to undergo an additional imprisonment of six months.
As soon as the judge announced the reserved judgment, all the accused present in the court, got to their feet and started to chant slogans " Allah-o-Akbar, besides flashing victory signs. Family members and relatives of the accused were also present in the courtyard of the court.
According to the prosecution, the accused, Ata-ur-Rehman (chief ), Shahzad Bajwa, Aziz, Danish Imam, Khurram Saifullah Shoaib Siddiqui, Rao Khalid, Shahzad Mukhtar, Adnan, Yaqoob Saeed,, and Najeebullah belonging to a terrorist group namely Jundullah had attacked the convoy of Genera Ahsan Saleem Hayat near Clifton bridge.
Five accused, Bilal, Qasim, Hammad, Shahab and Tayyeb have already been declared absconding by the court.
Some 10 people, including six armymen, and three police personnel were killed and 21 injured in the attack. Different cases were registered against the accused with Boating Basin Police Station.
During over one and a half years long trial, the prosecution produced some 25 witnesses in its favour. As per anti terrorism ordinance, the accused may challenge the ATC judgment within next seven days.
The state was represented by Syed Iqtidar Ali Hashmi and Muala Bux Bhatti, while the accused were defended by M.R Syed , and Mushtaq Ahmed Advocate.
Later, talking to the newsmen, the defense councils said they would challenge the judgment in Sindh High Court within the stipulated period of seven days.
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