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| Europe |
| Austrian court sentences 10 for trying to join Islamists in Syria |
| 2015-06-17 |
| [ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] An Austrian court sentenced 10 people to up to three years in jail on Tuesday for trying to link up with radical Islamists in Syria. A Turkish man accused of organizing transport for the group of native Chechens got a three-year jail term, while others got prison terms of up to 34 months. One who was a juvenile at the time of the arrests last August got a one-year suspended sentence, a court spokeswoman said. The sentences are not final until the defendants -- some of whom said they were simply going on a holiday or wanted to live in an Islamic country, according to media reports -- decide whether to appeal. Prosecutors had demanded sentences of one to 10 years in jail for participating in a terrorist organization, broadcaster ORF reported. With the far-right Freedom Party attracting more than 25 percent support and beating the ruling centrist parties in opinion polls, Austria has taken a tough line on suspected jihadist sympathizers. A 14-year-old boy who downloaded bomb-making plans onto his PlayStation games console got a two-year jail term last month after pleading guilty to terrorism charges. |
| Posted by:Fred |