![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
. | ![]() |
. |
![]() by Staff Writers Helsinki (AFP) March 8, 2016
Two Iraqi men who arrived in Finland as part of Europe's huge migrant influx were charged Tuesday with war crimes allegedly committed in their home country, officials said. "Both cases are acts that have been defined as war crimes by the International Criminal Court...and are related to violating the corpses of dead enemy soldiers," district prosecutor Juha-Mikko Hamalainen wrote in a statement. The alleged crimes took place in Iraq between 2014 and 2015, according to the prosecutor, who did not specify where. The names of the suspects were not released, but both arrived in Finland late last year. The prosecutor told the Finnish news agency STT that the men claimed to have fought against the Islamic State group. Both men have pleaded not guilty and their cases are to be heard separately on March 18 and 22. Finland, a country of 5.4 million people, received some 32,000 mostly Iraqi asylum seekers last year, as Europe experienced it biggest migrant crisis since World War II. More than one million migrants fleeing war in Syria and upheaval across the Middle East, Asia and Africa landed in Europe since the start of 2015.
Bosnians willing to do time to leave IS jihad: prosecutors "Because of the unbearable conditions there, a number of Bosnian citizens in Syria or Iraq have contacted the (Bosnian) security agencies with the intention of returning to the country," said a statement from the prosecutors' office responsible for terrorism cases. It said the jihadists were ready to "plead guilty and serve a prison sentence". Prosecutors also welcomed an agreement reached with 24-year-old Emin Hodzic, who was arrested in September 2014 and pleaded guilty to "forming a terrorist group" and having "joined IS structures" in Syria and Iraq. He agreed to serve 12 months in prison after the plea bargain deal that avoided a trial. The statement did not specify the number of Islamist fighters who want to return to the Balkan country, which in 2014 adopted new legislation allowing jail sentences of up to 20 years for jihadists and their recruiters. "Dozens of people are affected by the investigation," said prosecutors' spokesman Boris Grubesic. "To date, 20 people have been charged with recruitment or joining foreign paramilitary groups," he said. In November a Bosnian court jailed a radical Muslim leader for seven years for inciting terrorism by encouraging his followers to join jihadists in Syria and Iraq. Local authorities cited by Bosnian media estimate the number of citizens who have gone to fight in the Middle East at between 230 and 330 -- some of them with their families. At least 26 have died and 50 returned home. Bosnia has issued arrest warrants through Interpol against 67 suspects, Security Minister Dragan Mektic said earlier this week. About 40 percent of Bosnia's 3.8 million people are Muslim, the vast majority of them moderates. The rest are mainly Orthodox or Catholic Christian.
Related Links Iraq: The first technology war of the 21st century
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |