GOTHENBURG, Sweden—A Swedish district court Wednesday found two Somali Swedes guilty of conspiracy to commit terrorist crimes in Somalia.
The judge sentenced the each man to four years in jail for collaborating with the Islamist militia al-Shabaab in Somalia, in order to carry out suicide attacks. The assaults, if carried out, could have damaged government installations and international organizations that are active in the country, killing many according to the court.
Al-Shabaab is a terrorist organization that seeks to take over Somalia by force and mandate an Islamic state. During the last two decades, tens of thousands of Somalia refugees have migrated to Scandinavian countries to escape the horrors of the civil wars in the country.
In recent years, Swedish security police have expressed concerns about disillusioned young Somalis falling prey to terrorist organizations who actively seek to recruit them for insurgency activities in Somalia. At least four Somali Swedes were identified as killed in Somalia, according to the Swedish security police.
The verdict was however not unanimous, as two members of the court voted to free the accused. An appeal against the verdict is expected.
The judge sentenced the each man to four years in jail for collaborating with the Islamist militia al-Shabaab in Somalia, in order to carry out suicide attacks. The assaults, if carried out, could have damaged government installations and international organizations that are active in the country, killing many according to the court.
Al-Shabaab is a terrorist organization that seeks to take over Somalia by force and mandate an Islamic state. During the last two decades, tens of thousands of Somalia refugees have migrated to Scandinavian countries to escape the horrors of the civil wars in the country.
In recent years, Swedish security police have expressed concerns about disillusioned young Somalis falling prey to terrorist organizations who actively seek to recruit them for insurgency activities in Somalia. At least four Somali Swedes were identified as killed in Somalia, according to the Swedish security police.
The verdict was however not unanimous, as two members of the court voted to free the accused. An appeal against the verdict is expected.
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