| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Swiss court to try two Muslims accused of running terror websites |
| 2007-06-06 |
| Two Muslims suspected of running websites showing hostages being slain and giving details of how to make bombs and carry out attacks have been named as defendants in Switzerland’s first Internet terrorism trial later this month. The two suspects were detained in February 2005 during anti-terror raids in two Swiss states, the Federal Criminal Court said. Swiss media previously identified the two as Moez Garsallaoui, a Tunisian based in Lausanne, and Malika El Aroud, the widow of an Al Qaida suicide bomber. According to a schedule posted on the court’s website, the charges include providing support for a criminal organisation. The two suspects are also accused of publicly inciting criminal acts of violence as well as the manufacturing, concealment and transfer of explosives or poisonous gases. The trial begins on June 20, the schedule stated. A verdict is expected the same day, but may be withheld by authorities until a later point. The court said Garsallaoui, the main defendant, is accused of running different websites with discussion forums that were used by terrorist groups to share information. Prosecutors have said the sites were setup to promote racially motivated crimes. The sites were also used to publicise claims of responsibility for attacks and threats against Western countries. Swiss media reported two years ago that the beheading of American Paul Johnson, Jr in Saudi Arabia was one of a number of executions aired on the sites. El Aroud, a Belgian citizen of Moroccan background, has been charged as a co-defendant for operating a jihadi website. She is the widow of a suicide attacker who killed anti-Taliban warlord Ahmed Shah Massoud two days before the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US, according to Swiss Federal Police. Swiss authorities shut down all the websites in 2005. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office said a forum on one of the sites, ‘Islamic-Minibar,’ was used to publish letters claiming responsibility for a suicide attack in Pakistan in July 2004. Other postings included a threat to kill Italian aid workers Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, who were abducted in Baghdad in September 2004. The two aid workers were later freed. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Well this should be a joke. They'll probably end up getting a huge settlement from the Swiss govt. before they're done. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-06-06 10:32 |