New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Tuesday handed seven and half years imprisonment to four persons linked with Al-Qaeda under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Special Judge Sanjay Khanagwal after hearing arguments on behalf of the Prosecution and Defence Counsel was punished with seven years and five months imprisonment for the four persons namely Mohd Asif, Mohd Abdul Rehman, Zafar Masood and Abdul Sami.

Counsel for the convicted persons submitted before the court that they have already spent around seven years in Jail which will be also considered as part of the punishment.

On February, 10 the court acquitted two co-accused Syed Mohd Zeeshan Ali and Dr Sabeel Ahmad in the matter after hearing the submissions on behalf of Advocates MS Khan and Qausar Khan. They submitted before the court that the prosecution failed to prove the case against them.

The court had framed charges against six accused persons in 2017 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Police alleged that Rehman ran a madrassa in Uttar Pradesh and was trying to radicalise the youths who enrolled there for carrying out alleged terror activities.

The police have further alleged that Masood was propagating the terror agenda of the outfit among the youths in order to attract them toward the AQIS.

Delhi police Special cell got information in December 2015, that Al-Qaeda is trying to set up its base in India under the banner of Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

(With UNI inputs)