Two get 10 years in jail for funding terror groups

The State Security Circuit of the Supreme Federal Court on Monday sentenced a Pakistani man to 10 years in prison for funding terrorist outfits Daesh and Al Qaeda.
The court presided over by Judge Mohammad Jarrah Al Teneiji sentenced 23-year-old A.A.H. to 10 years in jail followed by deportation. He was accused of transferring money to the terror groups through persons, who are part of the groups.
The court said that the suspect was fully aware of the fact that the money he had sent to such groups would be used to fund terror acts, in violation to the UAE's anti terror laws.
In another case, the court sentenced 26-year-old Sudanese man, O.A.H.M. to 10-year imprisonment after he was found guilty of planning to commit terror acts in the country. The court also ordered confiscation of the materials and devices used by the accused.
The court also ordered the social media accounts and websites the suspect used be totally shut down. The suspect will be deported once he completes the prison term.
Student 'attempts to join Daesh'
In another hearing, chaired by Judge Falah Al Hajri, the court heard the pleadings presented by the state security prosecution against an Emirati woman suspect, identified as M.S.Sh.A. The 22-year-old student at a college of technology is accused of trying to join Daesh,
The prosecution brought several counts against the suspect including attempt to join a terror group, after being fully aware of the group's intents and plans. She communicated via with a member of Daesh, who identified himself as Khatab Al Emarat, via social media.
She allegedly pledged allegiance to the group and its leader through the Internet, yet she could not join the group as she failed to obtain her passport from her mother.
The suspect is also accused of sending money to the man through a money exchange in the country, even after being aware of the fact that the man worked for the terrorist group.
The prosecution said the student also created social media accounts for the terror group upon request by Khatab Al Emarat, and handed him the user names and passwords. The social media accounts created by the woman enabled the terror group member to communicate with his leaders, the prosecution alleged.
She is charged under anti-terror law and anti-cybercrime law.
The court ordered the case be adjourned, based on a request by the defence lawyer Hamdan Al Zayoudi so he could review the case file and prepare his defence.
Cases adjourned
The court also adjourned two other cases in which two Emirati citizens are accused of doing acts that are against the anti terror law and cybercrimes law.
In the first case, an Emirati man, identified as M.S.A.S, stood accused of supporting terror groups. However, the court postponed the case as there was no lawyer to defend the accused. Judge Falah Al Hajri ordered a lawyer from the Ministry of Justice be assigned to defend the man, to continue the case in a legal manner.
In the second case, the court adjourned the case upon request by the prosecution for a medical report of the accused, identified as A.H.B. Both cases will be heard on November 21.
malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com