ATC awards death sentence to al-Qaeda affiliate

LAHORE: An Anti-terrorism Court judge Muhammad Qasim on Wednesday awarded death sentence on three counts to an al-Qaeda affiliate Hafiz Imran on the charges of abducting an American national Dr Warren Weinstein working with USAID.
However, the co-accused of kidnapping, Osama Bin Laden’s successor Al-Qaeda’s chief Ayman al-Zawahiri is at large in this case. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 500,000 on the convict. In case of default in payment of fine, the convict will also face six years jail term. The court has also directed authorities concerned to confiscate moveable and immoveable assets of the convict.
The court has awarded first death sentence to Imran under Section 365-A (kidnapping or abducting for extorting property, valuable security, etc.) of Pakistan Penal Code. The second death penalty has been awarded under 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) of the PPC while third time death has given to Hafiz Imran under section 7 of Anti Terrorism Act. The trial of the said convict was held in jail.
Dr Warren was abducted by eight unidentified kidnappers from his rented house cum office in J-Block, Model Town police limits, on August 13, 2010. Warren was living there for last six years and he did not register himself with local police station. Warren was running J.E. Austin Associates for economic development in Fata in collaboration with the USAID and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) at 49-J Block, Model Town.