From the Indian Express:
MUMBAI – Aspiring MLA, pilot and self-confessed Al-Qaeda operative, Mohammed Afroze, was found guilty of conspiring to “˜”˜commit terrorist acts on territories of nations at peace with India– and of forgery by a POTA court today.
Special Judge A P Bhangale, however, acquitted him of the more serious charge of waging war against the nation.
The court sentenced him to five years” rigorous imprisonment for planning to bomb several cities the 9/11 way and to seven years” RI for forgery. Both sentences will run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 20,000…
He only got five years for plotting mass murder, but seven years for forgery? What’s wrong with this picture?
According to the prosecution, between 1997 and 2001, the three accused had conspired to hijack passenger planes and crash them into the House of Commons in London, the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in the US, the Rolta Towers in Australia and Parliament in New Delhi.
“˜”˜Uncle Mubarak Musalman told me to work for Al Qaeda, train as pilot. He sent me Rs 1.5 lakh by hawala. I met Mansoor Iliyaz, Al-Qaeda chief in Melbourne and the (9/11) suicide squad members. I was selected for targeting Parliament in London,– Afroze had said in his confession…