In Iraq joined IS: Three Years Imprisonment

The verdict is not legally binding. The man, who did not confess, was accused of pledging allegiance to the "Islamic State" (IS) and joining the terrorist militia before leaving Iraq. He is also said to have been at least in reserve as an IS fighter.

The trained mathematics teacher, born in Mosul, is believed to have joined IS in Iraq in 2015 and also pledged allegiance. Subsequently, according to the original indictment, the 46-year-old was also active as a fighter or soldier and is said to have been paid for it. However, such actions could not be clearly proven in court.

Authorities came across the accused, according to the prosecutor, after American troops secured laptops and hard drives during a military operation. The 46-year-old appeared in the found organizational files with his name and picture. The photo, in particular, was ultimately incriminating, the presiding judge explained in the reasoning for the verdict.

Korneuburg Trial: IS Involvement Repeatedly Denied

The accused himself repeatedly denied IS involvement on Thursday. Two of his brothers were said to be wanted members of the terrorist militia. One of them had misused his data, the innocent 46-year-old claimed. It was "easy to put my name on the list," he said through an interpreter. "And the photo can be taken from anywhere." In general, the secured lists were forged.

The judge found this justification to be hardly credible. "FBI and DSN (Directorate of State Protection and Intelligence, note) say these are original documents. You would be the first to be falsely listed." The documents were "internationally recognized and authentic," added the prosecutor.

Departure from Iraq in 2017

The 46-year-old left Iraq in 2017. His journey took him through Turkey to Greece, where he was granted subsidiary protection. Later, he stayed in Germany for five years, where five asylum applications were rejected, the prosecutor emphasized. Via the Netherlands, the accused finally came to Austria, before being arrested in a refugee camp in November 2024. A warrant for his arrest for IS involvement was also issued in Iraq in 2020.

In sentencing, the man's innocence until the pledge of allegiance was considered mitigating. The concurrence of two crimes was considered aggravating. Neither the prosecution nor the defense made any statements regarding the verdict.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.