A Lebanese Hezbollah commander who underwent military training in Iran has been jailed for nine years in Austria after being convicted of terrorism charges.
The unnamed 41-year-old was accused of being a member of Hezbollah since 2006 and having temporarily commanded a unit of 60 fighters on the border of Syria. The indictment said he also recruited 250 people over the age of 14 to join Hezbollah.
MPs in Austria have called on the European Union to proscribe the entire Lebanese group as a terrorist organisation instead of only its military wing.
The court heard that the man was not merely a minor figure in Hezbollah but an important one, as shown by the ideological training he had previously undergone in Iran.
Some of the information about his membership in the group was provided by the man as part of his asylum application.
After he was found guilty, the man protested violently and it took three police officers to escort him out of the courtroom. He was then taken to hospital for a check-up.
The man can appeal against the verdict.
The status of Hezbollah in Austria and the wider EU has been the subject of controversy in 2020 with the bloc so far refusing to blacklist the organisation’s political party - despite its extensive funding operations in the continent, as this map depicts.
Legislators from Europe and the United States have urged Brussels not to distinguish between Hezbollah’s different wings.
In April, Germany banned the group in its entirety and blamed it for numerous terrorist attacks and kidnappings.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
