BERLIN: A German court on Tuesday sentenced three Syrian men to prison for involvement in a foreign terrorist group during the civil war after a trial that lasted more than a year.
The three defendants, identified only partially as Amer Tarak A., Sohail A. and Basel O., received sentences ranging from four and a half to nearly 10 years from the Munich court.
All three belonged to an armed rebel group called Liwa Jund Al-Rahman, which Amer Tarak A. allegedly founded, and two were also found guilty of war crimes.
The group fought against Syrian ruler Bashar Assad and later merged with the jihadist Daesh group.
Amer Tarak A. allegedly seized control of an oil field in the eastern Syrian province of Deir Ezzor, using the profits to fund his armed group and enrich his family.
He also ordered a massacre of Shiite Muslims in the village of Hatla, which was filmed by co-defendant Sohail A.
The presiding judge in the case sought expert testimony to place the crimes in the context of the long Syrian civil war.
The armed rebel group reportedly started as a secular force aimed at fighting the regular Syrian army — but took on Islamist traits before joining the IS group in 2013.
The defendants tried to argue that they were engaged in a legitimate armed struggle for freedom against the Assad regime.
But that defense was rejected by the Munich court.
All three men fled Syria for Germany after the defeat of the IS group.
The men could still appeal against the verdict, reached after more than 14 months of proceedings.
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Germany jails three Syrians who fought for ‘terror group’
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Germany jails three Syrians who fought for ‘terror group’
- They received sentences ranging from four and a half to nearly 10 years
- All three belonged to an armed rebel group called Liwa Jund Al-Rahman
Hot winds fan dozens of bushfires across eastern Australia
SYDNEY: Dozens of bushfires burned along Australia’s eastern seaboard on Saturday, destroying several houses as a blistering heatwave set in.
More than 50 bushfires were burning in New South Wales on Saturday afternoon, the state’s Rural Fire Service said, although the vast majority were considered “under control.”
A blaze north of Sydney had destroyed six houses, national broadcaster ABC said, while a small number of homes were lost in a bushfire on the state’s mid-north coast.
One bushfire had burned through more than 9,000 hectares (20,000 acres) in the Goulburn River National Park.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said hot and dry winds were fanning temperatures across the state nearing 40C.
“This is a dangerous few hours,” he said.
“Unfortunately this heat has been associated with hot and gusty winds as well, and that’s what really driving these dangerous and extreme fire dangers.”
Bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia’s summer months, and it is not unheard for dozens of blazes to burn through sparsely populated areas on hot and windy days.
More than 50 bushfires were burning in New South Wales on Saturday afternoon, the state’s Rural Fire Service said, although the vast majority were considered “under control.”
A blaze north of Sydney had destroyed six houses, national broadcaster ABC said, while a small number of homes were lost in a bushfire on the state’s mid-north coast.
One bushfire had burned through more than 9,000 hectares (20,000 acres) in the Goulburn River National Park.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said hot and dry winds were fanning temperatures across the state nearing 40C.
“This is a dangerous few hours,” he said.
“Unfortunately this heat has been associated with hot and gusty winds as well, and that’s what really driving these dangerous and extreme fire dangers.”
Bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia’s summer months, and it is not unheard for dozens of blazes to burn through sparsely populated areas on hot and windy days.
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