New Delhi, Feb 8 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested an alleged Al-Qaeda operative, Tawheed Ahmad Shah, for hatching a conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in Lucknow, sources told UNI. The operative was a resident of Chadoora, Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir. The case was registered last year by ATS UP in police station ATS Gomtinagar against the accused, who had reportedly entered into a conspiracy for recruiting members for Al-Qaeda affiliate Ansaar Gajwatul Hind (AGH) and for committing terrorist acts in Lucknow. Earlier, the NIA had arrested five accused persons in the case, against whom a charge sheet was filed on January 5 this year. Investigation revealed that Tawheed was the alleged mastermind of the conspiracy for recruitment and to commit terrorist acts in the name of AGH, including procurement of arms, ammunitions and explosive materials to be used for attacks in UP. The arrest assumes significance as it has been made days ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls.(UNI)