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| India-Pakistan |
| Manawan attacker handed only 10 years imprisonment |
| 2009-10-20 |
| An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday sentenced Hijratullah, a man charged with involvement in the March 30 attack on the Manawan police training school, to ten years in prison. Law enforcers had arrested Hijratullah near a makeshift helipad at the Manawan police training centre on March 30. Authorities had also confiscated grenades, daggers, a wireless device and an Afghan passport from him. The punishment awarded to Hijratullah is less than the maximum allowed under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997. According to Article 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, "Whoever commits a terrorist act shall: (i) if such act has resulted in the death of any person be punished with death; and (ii) in any other case be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years but may extend to life imprisonment, and shall also be liable to fine." However, Hijratullah was acquitted of charges in another attack on a police station on The Mall due to lack of evidence. At least 26 people were killed and over 150 injured in the first siege of the Manawan training school in March. Baitullah Mehsud, the late commander of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, had claimed responsibility for the attack. |
| Posted by:Fred |