DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Sept 29: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday sentenced a man to rigorous imprisonment for 24 years after convicting him of being a would-be suicide bomber.

The man, Sohail Zeb, was arrested by the Tank police on March 8.

He was found possessing two jackets used in suicide bombings, explosives and nuts and bolts.

Besides the jail sentence, ATC judge Fayyazullah also fined him Rs50,000.

In case of non-payment of the fine, Sohail Zeb, who was a student of the Tank Degree College, would have to serve two more years in jail.

Sources said Sohail Zeb’s name was in the list prisoners whose release was sought by militants during talks with a tribal jirga held for the release of kidnapped soldiers in South Waziristan.

The convict, whose organisational name was Waheedullah, had admitted during interrogation to having received terrorist training in a camp in the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan.