NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

CCCI Convicts 14 Insurgents

The Central Criminal Court of Iraq convicted 14 insurgents from Jan. 26 - Feb. 1, for various crimes including possession of illegal weapons, possessing fake identification and illegal border crossing.

The trial court found four Iraqi men guilty of illegal possession of special weapons in violation of Order 3/2003. Multi-National Forces-Iraq were on patrol in the vicinity of Rawah Sept. 20, 2006 when they spotted a vehicle acting suspiciously. MNF-I stopped the vehicle with the four defendants and then preceded to search the vehicle. MNF found one IED, one Berretta 9mm pistol with two full magazines and det cord. Explosive Ordinance Disposal responded to the scene and recognized the IED as a "speed-bump style" IED that contained 15-20 pounds of explosive filler. On Jan. 28, the trial panel sentenced all four men to 15 years imprisonment.

The trial court found a Jordanian man guilty of entering the country illegally in violation of Article 10/1 of the Passport Law. On March 10, 2004 MNF-I conducted a targeted raid on a known safe house for foreign fighters where the defendant was apprehended. The defendant stated he came to Iraq legally, but to conduct terrorist activities. The defendant though could not produce the legal documentation. On Jan. 28 the trial panel considered all the evidence and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.

The trial court found a Yemeni man guilty of entering the country illegally in violation of Article 10/1 of the Passport Law. On Sept. 6, 2006 during a targeted raid MNF-I captured the defendant who was a leader of a five man IED cell operating in the Al-Ramadi Region. At the time of capture the defendant was in possession of a hand grenade and a false ID card. The defendant confessed to entering Iraq illegally to conduct terrorist activities. On Jan. 31 the trial panel found him guilty and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

On Jan. 7, 2004, a foreign fighter from Saudi Arabia was detained by Karmah Police for being a foreign fighter from Saudi Arabia. The defendant was detained for suspicion of having a Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). Although that suspicion turned out to be false, the defendant admitted to being in Iraq illegally and claimed he walked to Iraq from Saudi Arabia. He was charged with violation of Article 10/1 of the Iraqi passport law. On Jan. 31 the trial panel found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

Those convicted of passport violations, possessing and using false ID's and illegal possession of special category weapons were sentenced from between six to 15 years imprisonment. Those convicted were 10 Iraqis and one each from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen.

Since its reorganization, under an amendment to CPA order 13, in April 2004, the Central Criminal Court has held 1,842 trials for Coalition-apprehended insurgents. The proceedings have resulted in the conviction of 1,594 individuals with sentences ranging up to death.

Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq