Life imprisonment for 2 terrorists in Faizabad court blast case

Two terrorists, Mohammad Tariq and Mohammad Akhtar, were given life imprisonment and fined Rs 50,000 each by a special court here on Friday for their involvement in the 2007 serial blasts in Faizabad, Lucknow and Varanasi.

A third accused, Sajjadur Rehman, has been acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence. The verdict pronounced by Additional District Judge Ashok Kumar came after 12 years of investigation and trial.

"They were nabbed following a bomb blast in the Faizabad court on November 23, 2007. The Judge has pronounced the verdict after completion of trial. Two people have been granted life imprisonment, while a third person has been acquitted due to lack of evidence," said Vijay Bahadur Singh, president of Faizabad Bar Association.

"This is a good judgement. They were involved in the Faizabad blast. Blasts also took place in Varanasi and Lucknow. All were interlinked. They (terrorists) were all part of a team," he added.

Four people were killed while 26 others sustained injuries during the blasts in 2007.