The trial of a former high-ranking Syrian military officer on charges relating to the country’s civil war has begun in Sweden.
Former brigadier general Mohammed Hamo is accused of "aiding and abetting" war crimes including “indiscriminate attacks” on the towns of Hama and Homs in 2012.
The 65-year-old now lives in Sweden and faces a possible life sentence if convicted after his trial, which is expected to last until the end of next month.
The war in Syria between Bashar Al Assad's regime and armed opposition groups erupted after the government repressed peaceful pro-democracy protests in 2011.
Aida Samani, senior legal adviser at the Civil Rights Defenders group, which has been gathering evidence relating to the Syrian civil war, said the attacks around the two towns resulted in “widespread civilian harm and an immense destruction of civilian properties”.
"This trial is important because it’s the first time that anyone from the Syrian government or the Syrian army is actually put on trial for the attacks that took place,” said Ms Samani.
According to the charge sheet, Mr Hamo contributed through "advice and action" to the Syrian army's tactics, "which systematically involved indiscriminate attacks on several towns or places in the area in and around the towns of Hama and Homs".
The former officer allegedly helped with the co-ordination and supply of arms to units, enabling the carrying out of orders at an "operational level".
Prosecutors say the Syrian army's "warfare has included widespread air and ground attacks by unknown perpetrators within the Syrian army" and argue strikes were carried out without distinction, as required by international law, between civilian and military targets.
This trial will be the first in Europe "to address these types of indiscriminate attacks by the Syrian army", said Ms Samani, and "will be the first opportunity for victims of the attacks to have their voices heard in an independent court".
Eight plaintiffs filed the case against Mr Hamo, including a man whose brother was killed in the attacks on Homs, as well as a British photographer and a French journalist who were injured in an attack on the city’s media centre.
Little is known about Mr Hamo other than he defected from the Syrian army in July 2012 and joined those fighting to remove Mr Al Assad from power.
He lived in central Sweden until he was arrested over his supposed participation in war crimes on December 7, 2021.
A court at the time released him two days later, saying there was not enough evidence to keep him incarcerated and he has since been free. His defence lawyer, Mari Kilman, said her client maintained his innocence.
Mr Hamo's trial follows the conviction of former intelligence officer Anwar Raslan.
Raslan was jailed for life in Germany for crimes against humanity in the first global trial over state-sponsored torture in Syria.
Intelligence official Eyad Al Gharib became the first person to be convicted over state-sponsored torture by the Assad government, also after a trial in Germany.
Syria's former vice president Rifaat Al Assad is to be subject of a war crimes trial in Switzerland, where he is accused of war crimes committed in 1982. It is alleged he ordered the deaths of about 60,000 civilians in Hama, Syria, but he will be tried in absentia.
France has issued an international arrest warrant for the Syrian President himself, who stands accused of complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes over chemical attacks in 2013.
Three other international warrants were also issued for the arrests of his brother Maher, the de facto chief of the Fourth Division, an elite military unit of the Syrian army, and two generals.
Sweden has also put on trial an Iranian official for his part in the mass execution of as many as 5,000 prisoners in 1988.
Hamid Noury, 62, was found guilty in 2022 of murder and a serious crime against international law and his conviction and life sentence were upheld by a court at the end of last year.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
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Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
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UAE squad
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Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
F1 The Movie
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset was due to a personal matter.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Emblem Storm, Oisin Murphy (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Wildman Jack, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Matterhorn, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Loxley, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
