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| Europe |
| Reaction mixed to terror acquittal |
| 2008-06-04 |
| A Norwegian judge's acquittal of Arfan Qadeer Bhatti on terrorism charges sets a strict legal precedent for any future such cases. Prosecutors aren't sure yet whether they'll appeal, and at least one involved ambassador is disappointed. Bhatti had been charged in a case that was Norway's first legal test of its terrorism law. Even though he was convicted of firing shots at a synagogue in Oslo in 2006, and was caught on tape making threats against the US and Israeli embassies in Oslo, Judge Kim Heger didn't believe there was enough evidence to convict Bhatti of planning or carrying out terrorist attacks. Heger ruled that Bhatti's actions and threats didn't amount to terrorism. There was no hard evidence of premeditated, intentional attacks, he ruled, and he called the shootings an act of serious vandalism, not terrorism. Some legal experts believe Heger was consciously trying to establish strict standards for evidence needed in terrorism cases. Others hailed the ruling as a sign that defendants' rights and the rule of law are protected in Norway. There's little doubt his ruling sets legal precedent in the country, and mounts huge challenges for prosecutors in terrorism cases. Benson K Whitney, the US ambassador to Norway, had hoped Bhatti would have been convicted of planning terrorist attacks against the synagogue and the embassies. "We are both surprised and disappointed" by the acquittal, Whitney told reporters. He claimed that shooting an automatic weapon at a synagogue can't be considered mere vandalism. "That's terrorism," said the US ambassador. The Israeli ambassador, who previously was outspoken regarding the synagogue shooting, initially declined to comment on the verdict but later said she was "surprised and dismayed" by it. Synagogue spokesperson Anne Sender said the synagogue had considered the shooting an act of terrorism, but said "we are satisfied that Bhatti has been taken off the streets." The judge did, in the end, sentence Bhatti to one of Norway's most punitive forms of custody known as forvaring, because of other convictions for violence. Sender said she understands that the Norwegian judicial system and its interpretation of the law must be part of "a comprehensive process," not least since this was the first time the country's law against terrorism was tested. "We're satisfied that the judge understood the lack of security we experienced," Sender said. "We felt this was terror, but haven't let it scare us." |
| Posted by:tipper |