Central Criminal Court of Iraq Convicts 22 Insurgents

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Central Criminal Court of Iraq convicted 22 security detainees for various crimes including illegal border crossing, coordinating deadly attacks and joining terrorist groups.

In the first case, Coalition Forces apprehended Mohammed Khalaf Shakara for planning, coordinating and conducting deadly attacks and kidnappings in Mosul and Baghdad. The defendant would receive $50,000 to $100,000 a month from kidnapping operations in Baghdad. The defendant was charged with violating Article 194 of the Iraqi Penal Code for joining armed groups. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to death.

In the second case, on Oct. 2, 2004, Coalition Forces apprehended Khalid Ibrahim Sulaiman because he was suspected of detonating a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. Coalition Forces found the defendant sitting alone in a vehicle with a remote transmission device that was used to detonate the VBIED. The defendant was charged with violating Article 194 of the Iraqi Penal Code for attacking the population to unsettle the stability and security of Iraq. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

In the third case, Coalition Forces apprehended Zaher Fayez Mohammed, Adel Salem Mohammed and Saleh Al-Shafie Saleh for illegally entering Iraq with the intent to wage jihad. The defendants made their way to Mosul to join the terror network headed by Mohammad Khalaf Shakara. The defendants were charged with violating Article 194 of the Iraqi Penal Code for joining armed groups. The trial court found the defendants guilty of the charge and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

In the fourth case, on Nov. 11, 2004, Coalition Forces apprehended Majid Abdullah Su'od for illegally entering the country to assist the insurgency against Coalition Forces and the interim government of Iraq. The defendant served as a recruiter for his terrorist cell of foreign fighters. He was charged with violating Article 194 of the Iraqi Penal Code for joining terrorist groups to unsettle the stability and security of Iraq. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

In the fifth case, on March 18, 2005, Coalition Forces apprehended A'mer Mohammed Jasim for being a suspected member of the Mosul terror cell. The defendant's role in the cell was to manage the money and carry food and money to the terror cells. The defendant was charged with violating Article 194 of the Iraqi Penal Code for attacking the population to unsettle the stability and security of Iraq. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment with credit for time served.

In the sixth case, on June 23, 2005, Coalition Forces apprehended Salem Mohammed Ahmed Saloom for conducting terrorist activities. The defendant was the driver for terrorist finance leader, Abu Sirhan. The defendant was charged with violating Article 194 of the Iraqi Penal Code for organizing, heading, leading or joining armed groups. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

In the seventh case, Coalition Forces apprehended Ali Mahmud Abd-al-Karim al-Sharif for being a suspected member of al-Taw Heed and al-Jihad groups and receiving more than $50,000 to assist al-Jihad groups. The defendant was charged with violating Article 194 of the Iraqi Penal Code for organizing, heading, leading or joining armed groups. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

In the eighth case, on Dec. 20, 2003, Coalition Forces apprehended Ali Hussein Mohammed after Coalition Forces criminal investigators observed the defendant and his four co-defendants placing more than $15,000 of merchandise in a trash container located at the Baghdad International Airport Army and Air Force Exchange Service warehouse yard. The defendant was charged with violating Article 444/6/7/11 of the Iraqi Penal Code for theft of government property. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to two years imprisonment with credit for time served.

In the ninth case, on Jan. 30, 2005, Coalition Forces apprehended three men after responding to insurgent attacks that wounded a pilot and damaged a Cobra helicopter. Coalition Forces found the defendants shooting RPG's and machine guns and recovered an RPG launcher; four RPG rounds, two AK-47's, three 107mm rockets and a mortar site. The defendant was charged with violating Coalition Provisional Authority Order No. 3, Section 6, paragraph 2/B for possession of illegal weapons. The trial court found the defendants guilty of the charge and sentenced them to 15 years imprisonment each.

In the tenth case, on Jan. 29, 2004, Coalition Forces apprehended a man after searching a house and two stores in Muhallibiya believed to be used by insurgents for weapons storage. Coalition Forces found five AK-47 rifles, two RPG launchers, two machine guns, two bayonets, four RPG rounds, eight flares, two RPG propellant packages, four gas masks, four grenades, several hundred assorted small rounds of ammunition, two shotgun shells, and fifty AK-47 rifle magazines at one of the stores. The defendant was charged with violating Coalition Provisional Authority Order No. 3, Section 6, paragraph 2/B for possession of illegal weapons. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to 3 years imprisonment.

In the eleventh case, on Nov. 8, 2004, Coalition Forces apprehended a Mohammed Thalee Isma'el, Emmad Aldeen Shahata, Aqheel Mohammed Rakan and Ahmed Mohammed Sheet after observing them digging less than 50 meters from a highway south of Mosul. Coalition Forces found one 107mm rocket ready to be fired with wires connected to an igniter. The defendants were charged with violating Coalition Provisional Authority Order No. 3, Section 6, paragraph 2/B for possession of illegal weapons. The trial court found the defendants guilty of the charge and sentenced them to 15 years imprisonment each.

In the twelfth case, on Aug. 26, 2004, Coalition Forces apprehended Tariq Zaidan Gahlib, Hussein Jabbar Kadhum and Adel Mohammed Hamid at a vehicle checkpoint after they discovered their car was missing a license plate. Coalition Forces searched the vehicle and found 11 grenades, three RPG-7 launchers, one pound of caste explosives, four RPG warheads, 100 non-electric blasting caps and IED-making materials. The defendants were charged with violating Coalition Provisional Authority Order No. 3, Section 6, paragraph 2/A for possession of illegal weapons. The trial court found the defendants guilty of the charge and sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment each.

In the thirteenth case, on May 21, 2005, Coalition Forces apprehended Abd al-Haq Said for illegally crossing the border of Iraq. The defendant claimed to enter Iraq for the purpose of smuggling drugs. The defendant was charged with violating Iraqi Penal Code 10 Part One from the Iraqi passport laws for illegal border crossing. The trial court found the defendant guilty of the charge and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.

Upon conviction, all defendants are turned over to the Iraqi Corrections Service to serve their sentences.

To date, the CCCI has held 995 trials of insurgents suspected of anti-Iraqi and anti-Coalition activities threatening the security of Iraq and targeting MNF-I. These proceedings have resulted in 908 individual convictions with sentences ranging up to 30 years imprisonment.

Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq

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