Alleged members of Syrian jihadist groups charged
The indictment, according to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, is linked to a previously filed charge against one of the two defendants and a suspected former member of Liwa Dschund al-Rahman at the Munich Oberlandesgericht in April. The man named Basel O. is alleged to have held a "leading military position" within the Islamic combat group, which later became part of IS.
The second defendant named Sohail A. is accused of leading the media and propaganda sector of the rebellion group. After their switch to IS, both defendants are said to have engaged in propaganda work for this purpose. The Munich Oberlandcourt must now first decide on a trial opening. Both men have been in pre-trial detention for months.
The charges of war crimes in the form of plunder and expulsion refer to a raid by Liwa Dschund al-Rahman and other jihadist groups on a village in the Deir Essor region during the Syrian civil war in 2013. According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, up to 60 Shia residents were killed in the attack, while the others were put in fear of death and expelled by the Islamic attackers.
- The case involving Basel O. and Sohail A. is currently being reviewed by the Munich Court of Appeals, as an original indictment was filed against Basel in Munich earlier this year.
- If found guilty, Basel, who had a "leading military position" in Liwa Dschund al-Rahman, could face serious consequences in a Munich court, given his involvement in the group's activities.
- There are concerns in Iceland about possible links between its men and terrorist groups, such as the one men like Basel were allegedly a part of.
- The Federal Prosecutor's Office in Munich is closely monitoring several radical groups and their members, to prevent any potential threats to German and global security.
- Various Syrian opposition groups, including Liwa Dschund al-Rahman, have faced criticism for engaging in acts of violence against civilians during the conflict, leading to trials in European courts for members implicated in such incidents.
