KARACHI, Oct 12: An anti-terrorism court sentenced on Monday a worker of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Aalmi to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 40 years on three different counts.

Kamran alias Asif alias Uncle alias Mehmood, who carried Rs3 million reward on his arrest, was charged with killing a passer by woman and attempting to kill policemen during a shootout with police party on May 19 in Sector 15-A, Buffer Zone, under Sections 302, 353 and 324 of the PPC. He was also charged with the possession of arms and ammunition and explosive materials.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 sentenced the Aalmi man to suffer life imprisonment for possessing illegal arms and ammunition. The judge also ordered confiscation of entire movable and immovable properties of the accused.

Kamran, who carried Rs3 million award on his arrest, was also a wanted accused in a case pertaining to an attempt on the life of President Parvez Musharraf in Karachi. Accused Kamran was handed down a five-year term for causing death to a passer by woman during the shootout with the police. The judge also ordered the accused to pay Rs275,000 to the victim's family as Diyat.

A 10-year term of rigorous imprisonment was awarded to the accused for attempting to kill the police. A fine of Rs50,000 was imposed on the convict, who would have to undergo an additional six-month term in case of default on the payment.

Special public prosecutor examined 14 prosecution witnesses. Kamran along with an absconding accomplice, Junaid, opened fire on the police party to avoid their arrest. The two accused ran away in different directions and Kamran took position behind a pile of cement blocks.

Accused Kamran opened fire on the chasing party and killed Sarwar Bibi, a domestic servant, in the shootout. The accused was also hit by two bullets in his lower torso and was arrested with an unlicensed AK-4 assault rifle (kalashnikov) and eight hand grenades in the presence of people.

Later accused led the police to the recovery of five RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), five initiators, eight hand grenades, 200 live rounds of kalashnikov, four phone bombs, a video cassette bomb, 25 electronic circuits meant for explosive devices and a box containing anti-US material and bomb making techniques from his hideout.

The seizure from the hideout also included over 150 books on different topics. Besides a large number of sectarian and anti- Jews books, there were also many books relating to computer, electrical technology and military and infantry support weapons.

HEARING ADJOURNED: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi, headed by Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti, on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of a killing case against Amir Khan, general secretary of Mohajir Qaumi Movement Haqiqi (MQM-H) and others on a request by the defence counsel, adds PPI.