Life term for two HUJI militants

New Delhi, March 10 : A Bangladeshi national and his Kashmiri associate, both belonging to the banned Harkat-Ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) militant organisation, were Wednesday handed life terms by a city court for possessing explosives and waging war against India.

Additional Sessions Judge Nivedita Anil Sharma sentenced Mohammed Amin Wani, a Jammu and Kashmir resident, and Lutfur Rahman, a Bangladeshi national, to life imprisonment and said they did not deserve capital punishment as the case did not fall under the rarest of the rare category.

"Keeping in view illegal activities of the convicts, a substantive and stern sentence is required to be imposed upon the convicts so that it is not only in commensuration with the gravity of crime but also serves as an example for others who might also venture on the same forbidden path," the court said.

It also imposed a fine of Rs.7.5 lakh on Rahman while Wani was fined Rs.7 lakh.

Declining the plea for leniency, the court said: "The convicts do not deserve any leniency except that their life be not taken away lawfully."

The duo were Feb 16 convicted on charges of possessing explosives and money laundering.

Wani, 29, was arrested Jan 4, 2007 from Seeshganj Gurudwara in the old city area by Delhi Police's Special Cell for possessing Rs.4.5 lakh hawala money.

Rahman, 30, was apprehended from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station with 1.5 kg explosives and a timer. According to the police, the duo were in the capital to disrupt the January 26 Republic Day function.