2005 Ayodhya terror attack: Sequence of events

Prayagraj, June 18 (IANS) A court here on Tuesday convicted four people in the 2005 Ayodhya terror attack on charges of criminal conspiracy and attempted murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment. One accused was, however, acquitted.

Here is the sequence of events:

• A group of terrorists tried to attack the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya on July 5, 2005.

• The terrorists, who posed as pilgrims, even prayed at the makeshift temple before returning later in a hired jeep, which they exploded near the boundary of the disputed area near the 'Sita ki Rasoi' while one of them blew himself up in a bid to breach the security barricade.

• The terrorists even used a rocket launcher to fire at the makeshift temple.

• Security forces reacted and gunned down the five terrorists in a gunfight that lasted over an hour.

• Two civilians were also killed in the cross-fire, while seven security personnel were injured.

• Investigation linked the accused to Pakistani-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad

• Five people - four from Jammu and Kashmir and one from Uttar Pradesh -- connected with the terror attack were arrested in July 2005 on the basis of technical surveillance.

• A special court in Prayagraj sentenced four of them - Irfan, Mohammed Shakil, Mohammed Nafees and Asif Iqbal - to life imprisonment but acquitted Mohammed Aziz citing lack of evidence.