The two confessed that they incited, motivated, invited and facilitated people of different nationalities to join the terrorist organisation
In the first Islamic State (IS)-related conviction, two youths were on Friday sentenced to seven years' imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to conspiring and acting as a "frontier group" of the banned outfit. The two confessed that they incited, motivated, invited and facilitated people of different nationalities to join the terrorist organisation.
District and Sessions Judge Amar Nath convicted Sheikh Azhar Ul Islam from Jammu and Kashmir and Mohammad Farhan Shaikh from Maharashtra after they submitted in the court that "they repented their acts". The trial of third accused, Adnan Hassan, is continuing before the same court.
The court directed the two to pay fines under several Sections. While pronouncing the order, the court observed: "It seems the convicts have realised their mistakes and are willing to repent for their acts and deeds. In that case, the convicts should get an opportunity to reform themselves and be good citizens of this country....there is a necessity of showing some leniency while imposing punishment, but at the same time, it should not be a wrong message to the society."
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had framed charges against the two convicts and Hassan under Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the Unlawful Prevention Act.
The prosecution had alleged that the three lured recruits to travel to Syria to join the IS. It was alleged that the accused organised meetings of like-minded persons and instigated people of different nationalities to travel to Syria.
Naziya Natekar, maternal aunt of Shaikh, said that he lived with them in Dost Apartment near Noorani Hotel in Kausa, Mumbra, in 2016. Shaikh later left for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
"We never suspected that he was involved in terror activities when he lived with us. We came to know about it only after he was deported from Dubai and arrested in New Delhi. He did not tell us why he is leaving the country, and it was only after a team of police officers came to our residence did we learn that he has been arrested for IS activities. We have lost all hopes of saving him," she said.
As far as Azhar is concerned, no one in his family, except his brother, knows that he has been convicted. "He is innocent. He has been framed. He has no criminal record. They have done the verification. He was pursing Bachelors of Education (B.Ed) and had even completed teaching practice," said Sheikh Zubair, his brother.
In a statement last month, both convicts had said "they were remorseful of the acts alleged against them." They said they wanted to return to the mainstream and wanted to rehabilitate themselves and be productive to the society.
The accused were apprehended when they were returning from Abu Dhabi. Investigations revealed that they raised, received and distributed terror funds for recruitment and helped the recruits to migrate from India and other countries to Syria.
Caught in the net
Sheikh Azhar Ul Islam, resident of Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir
Adnan Hassan (36), resident of Karnataka
Mohammad Farhan Shaikh, resident of Thane, Maharashtra
The three were a part of the Abu Dhabi module.
The accused had chatted with associates on social media.
Jan 1, 2016: Accused arrested. Several electronic devices, and documents with incriminating contents seized.
July 25, 2016: Charge sheet filed.
Feb 21, 2017: Charges framed.
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