New Delhi, October 24
A local court today convicted Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Mohammad Arif, alias Ashfaq, and six others in the December 2000 Red Fort attack case, while four others were acquitted.

Additional Sessions Judge O.P. Saini convicted Ashfaq of waging a war against the Government of India, murder, criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and under the Foreigner’s Act, the Explosives and Arms Act, Sections 420, 468, 471, 302, 353 and 186 of the IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act.

Ashfaq’s wife Rehmana Yusuf Farooqi has been convicted of waging a war against the country, criminal conspiracy and providing shelter to him, while Matloob Alam, Nazir Ahmed Qasid and his son Farooq Ahmed Qasid, Babar Mohsil Bagahwala and Sadaqat Ali were convicted of criminal conspiracy and forgery.

However, four others — Rajiv Kumar Malhotra, Moolchand Sharma, Devender Singh and Shahenshah Alam — were acquitted. The court will announce the quantum of sentence on October 29.

Two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants had stormed the 17th century monument on December 22, 2000, and opened indiscriminate fire on the guards of the Rajputana Rifles stationed there, killing two jawans and a civilian.