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| Middle East |
| Failed suicide bomber, 16, sentenced to life in prison |
| 2002-06-29 |
| A 16-year-old Hamas member was sentenced to life in prison yesterday for attempting to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel. The youth was caught near the Galilee town of Tira in February. According to military prosecutor Liron Averbuch, he had originally intended to blow himself up on or near a bus. But when he saw he was about to be captured, he tried to blow himself up immediately in order to at least kill the policemen. However, the detonator mechanism proved faulty and when he pressed the button, nothing happened. He was arrested and indicted in the Samaria Military Court. Must be tough to expect 72 acrobatic virgins and end up with stripes for life. I wonder how many other The defense attorney asked the court for a lenient sentence - five years - in light of the defendant's youth, his family's poverty and the fact he was illiterate. The defendant himself argued he was dragged into the attempt by Hamas. "I was a minor and I don't know how they deceived me," he said. "I'm sorry for what I did. I almost lost my life." Well, now he's got it. For what it's worth. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |