Ayodhya fidayeen attack case hearing on Dec 11

Faizabad (UP), Nov 25: A local court today posted hearing in the July 5, 2005 Ayodhya fidayeen attack case to December 11 and extended judicial custody of all the five accused till then.

The terrorists were brought from Allahabad's high security Naini Jail under tight security and produced before district court judge R P Shukla.

Almost one-and-a-half years have passed since the attack, yet the charges are to be fixed against the accused.

According to standing counsel O P Sinha, the accused told the court they had submitted an application before the Allahabad High Court praying the trial be transferred from Faizabad district to some other place.

The HC has fixed December 8 for hearing the plea, the accused told the district court judge.

Meanwhile, the district court has written to the HC registry asking for a 'nyay mitra' (amicus curiae) to represent the accused in the case.

After the attack on the Ram Janmabhoomi, the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) had lodged a case under Indian Penal code (IPC) sections 147, 148, 302, 307, 353, 153, 153 A, 295, 120 B and 4.

Shakil and Nasim Ahmad were arrested on July 27, 2005, while Asif Iqbal and Mohd Aziz were arrested on July 14 in the valley by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The quartet were accused of providing SIM card and sophisticated weapons to the five terrorists, who stormed the high security Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya on July 5, 2005.

The fidayeen were, however, liquidated by security personnel deployed at the site.

Dr Irfan -- a Unani medical practitioner -- was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh Police on July 22, 2005 in Saharanpur district.

UNI