Two men accused of fundraising and recruiting for the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) in India were on Friday (April 21st) sentenced to seven years in jail, AFP reported.
Azhar-ul-Islam and Mohammad Farhan Shaikh were arrested by India's counter-terrorism body the National Investigation Agency (NIA) last year after being deported from the UAE for illegal fundraising activities.
"Both of them were already in jail, and were today sentenced to seven years in prison by the court," said Alok Mittal, an inspector general at the NIA.
The duo had pleaded guilty to charges of criminal conspiracy last month, according to the Press Trust of India.
In a news release late Friday, NIA said the two had acted as a front group for ISIL and incited people of different nationalities to travel to Syria to "join and support" its activities.
The men were active on social networks and promoted ISIL's ideology to enlist new recruits and assist others to link up with the group.
They also raised cash for ISIL, receiving and transferring funds in the UAE, where the pair frequently travelled for work.
A third accused, Adnan Hassan, will face trial starting in June.
