UAE-based man gets 10 years in jail for joining Daesh

Abu Dhabi - He will be deported after serving the jail term.

An Asian expatriate has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for joining Daesh group in Syria.

The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals on Wednesday ordered the 36-year-old Pakistani national, A.Z.M., to be deported after serving his jail term. The court also ordered him to bear all the court expenses and the confiscation of all the electronic equipment seized in connection with the case.

The court also condemned the defendant for being present in the UAE after joining Al Qaeda in Pakistan, and attending military trainings at its camps there. He also attempted to join Ahrar Al Sham, another terrorist organisation in Syria, promoted the ideologies of it and other terror organisations.

The defence attorney argued that his client could not be held accountable as per the law combating terrorism as he had promoted the ideology of Ahrar Al Sham in 2012 and 2013 before the anti-terrorism law came into force in the country.

The court turned down the defence argument and convicted the defendant for his attempt to travel to Syria with the intention of joining the terror groups there after the issuance of the anti-terrorism law in the UAE.

His compatriot accomplice I.N.Kh., 25, was ordered to stay behind bars for three years, to be followed by deportation for abetting and cooperating with the prime defendant.

The court condemned him for not reporting his friend's acts to the security agencies after knowing it.

Man on trial for promoting terror organisations

Another Emirati, 48-year-old S.TH.M.H., stood trial in the court on Wednesday, charged with posting false and fabricated information on social media, promoting the thoughts of terror organisations. He is also accused of defaming the reputation of the country and its prominent personalities.

In its indictment sheet, the public prosecution also accused the defendant of insulting the UAE's relations with Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

It also charged him with promoting the ideas and ideologies of Daesh and Ansar Al Shariah terror groups, and criticising the policies of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt regarding the events in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Defence lawyer Hamdan Al Zioudi said the inspection and arrest of his client was null and void as it was not done according to the procedures and the rules of the UAE Penal Code.

Al Zioudi also said there were no proofs or concrete evidence against his client and the charges were pressed on the grounds of unauthentic information and investigation. "My client has denied all the charges levelled against him, and refused to sign on the confessions in the investigation and prosecution forms on the grounds that they were based on accusations not being supported by evidence," the lawyer said.

Al Zioudi claimed his client is a well-known figure, who works in the field of petroleum and also a researcher on the Shariah law and jurisprudence matters.

The defence lawyer added that after checking about 30 electronic devices belonging to his client by the security agencies, no evidence had been found to link his client with any act that breaches the anti-terrorist law in the UAE. The defence pleaded not guilty to the charges and urged the court to bail out his client until the verdict is issued.

The court gave the defendant the chance to defend himself, and he, in turn, submitted to the court a 25-page note in his handwriting.

After hearing the statements of the defendant for almost 15 minutes, the court adjourned the case to August 9 to brief the public prosecution about the affidavits submitted by both the defence lawyer and the defendant.

The court also decided to re-interrogate the prosecution witness and give the defendant another opportunity to defend himself.

malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi