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Terrorism: Iraqi Kurd jailed in Germany
for recruiting insurgents
12.1.2006
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Munich, 12 Jan. (AKI) - An Iraqi man has been
sentenced to seven years by a German court for
helping smuggle suicide bombers from Europe to his
native country in what is considered a landmark
ruling. Amin Lokman Mohamed, 31, was convicted by
Munich judge, Bernd von Heintschel-Heinegg, of
"belonging to a terrorist association and recruiting
militants to send to Iraq."
Mohamed, from Iraqi Kurdistan, was arrested by the
German police in 2003, while living in Munich. He
denied belonging to the radical Islamic group Ansar
al-Islam, which is believed linked to the al-Qaeda
network and considered responsible for countless
attacks against US troops in Iraq, but admitted
collecting funds and recruiting jihadis in Europe.
During the trial, the court was presented with
transcripts of hundreds of tapped phone
conversations, in which Mohamed allegedly organised
for the transfer of young men from Europe to Iraq
and of others from his homeland to Germany and
Britain.
His was the first trial under a new law introduced
after 11 September 2001, which declared membership
of a foreign terrorist group illegal.
Kai Hirschmann of the terrorism Research Institute
in Essen, Germany, told the Financial Times that
finding sufficient evidence of membership of Ansar
al-Islam could be important for future trials. "In
terms of fighting terrorism, it is key that not only
those directly involved in the attacks are found
guilty of group membership but also those that build
the support networks" he told the FT.
www.adnki.com
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