KARACHI, March 16: An anti-terrorism court sentenced two workers of the banned Khuddamul Islam to five years' imprisonment for collecting chanda (donation) for jihad. Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5, however, exonerated a co-accused for want of evidence against him. Accused Syed Ameen Raza, 44, was a clerk in the PWD.

The convicts - Iftikhar, 27, and Mohammed Ashraf, 40 - were also fined Rs50,000 each. In case of default, they would have to undergo an additional six month imprisonment, the judge ordered. The three were arrested on Nov 23, 2003, by the Mehmoodabad police while collecting donations near Masjid-i-Aqsa.

The police seized Rs2,700 on the spot from Ashraf and Iftikhar. Their Suzuki hi-roof was also impounded. Later, the police recovered Rs12,72,980 from the office of the banned outfit in Jamshed Quarter on a lead given by Mohammed Ashraf.

Special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum produced six prosecution witnesses, including a taxi driver who had witnessed the seizure of money at the office of the banned organization.

The cab driver, Mohammad Hanif, stated that he was waiting for passengers in the Jamshed Quarter area where a police party asked him to act as a witness to the recovery of money. He said accused Mohammed Ashraf was also with the police party and led them to a room in the office of the Khuddamul Islam.

The prosecution witness deposed that there were a steel box and a suitcase in the room and the police seized the money from the suitcase. He said a shopping bag, containing some money, was also seized.

He said Inspector Khalil counted the money in his presence. He said the police also seized 110 receipt books from the office of the Khuddamul Islam. The judge ordered that the seized money be deposited with the state exchequer.

This was the third case of its nature tried by the ATC-5. The same court had earlier convicted six workers of the banned Khuddamul Islam in two separates cases of donation collection. The accused were awarded five-year terms each.