Iraqi court sentences three French men to death

By Ahmed Rasheed

 

REUTERS FILE PHOTO//REUTERS/Stringer

 

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi court sentenced three French men to death on Sunday after finding them guilty of joining Islamic State, two court officials told Reuters.

 

Iraq is conducting trials of thousands of suspected members of Islamic State, including hundreds of foreigners, with many arrested as the group's strongholds crumbled throughout Iraq.

 

The French trio were extradited to Iraq in February and military sources at the time said that 14 French citizens were among 280 Iraqi and foreign detainees handed over by the U.S-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

 

"They were sentenced to execution after it was proven that they were members of the terrorist Islamic State organisation," said one court official, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

 

Iraq began court proceedings against the 14 French suspected Islamic State members in March, legal sources said.

 

"All three convicted Frenchmen rejected the ruling and asked to be tried in France, but judges ignored their request," a court-appointed lawyer said.

Appeals can be made against the convictions.

 

The French government has so far categorically refused to take back IS fighters and their wives. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian referred to them as "enemies" of the nation, saying they should face justice either in Syria or Iraq.

 

The French Foreign Ministry declined to comment on Sunday's death sentences.

 

French authorities have repatriated a handful of children and plan to continue on a case-by-case basis.

 

Human rights groups have accused Iraqi authorities of inconsistencies in the judicial process and flawed trials, leading to unfair convictions.

 

(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and David Goodman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-27

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live by the sword ...

A befitting end to people who had no mercy on anyone, least of all children, the elderly and the innocents, i just wish that more will follow unlike other countries who prison similar men for life of free food and accommodation and even get a degree in jail...

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

Human rights groups have accused Iraqi authorities of inconsistencies in the judicial process and flawed trials, leading to unfair convictions.

The very same human rights groups who watch civilization being stripped away from European towns and cities. 

 

Unfortunately taking the moral high ground does not work when dealing with animals, as we are slowly but surely and tragically discovering throughout Europe right now.

 

Only a firm and uncompromising response keeps the rest of us safe, this is the same for extremists of any cause or religious group. 

Edited May 26, 20197 yr by richard_smith237

I wonder what will happen , if theres some French, French people caught who joined I.S.

Jean-Pierre Poirot or whatever , would the French Government then seek to get the death penalty over turned if he was French, French ?

It is very good. That they rot in these prisons.

And I hope that King Emmanuel 1ER is not going to ask for their extradition.
Well, with the beating he just took, maybe he will lose his beautiful.
But as he is narcissistic, Machiavellian, and so on, I must dream with my eyes open.

It's interesting that France has abolished the death sentence and illegal under French law to transfer a French citizen to a country where if found guilty would be sentenced to death. The SDF have made it very clear they are unable to keep in detention foreign fighters in their prisons, unless funded by relevant home country government, so far declined, nor does the SDF have established law in order to put them on trial. Accordingly many are shipped to Iraq.

 

 

6 minutes ago, simple1 said:

It's interesting that France has abolished the death sentence and illegal under French law to transfer a French citizen to a country where if found guilty would be sentenced to death. The SDF have made it very clear they are unable to keep in detention foreign fighters in their prisons, unless funded by relevant home country government, so far declined, nor does the SDF have established law in order to put them on trial. Accordingly many are shipped to Iraq.

 

 

The article isnt too clear , but it sounds like they were extradited from Syria to Iraq and France didnt extradite them 

9 minutes ago, sanemax said:

The article isnt too clear , but it sounds like they were extradited from Syria to Iraq and France didnt extradite them 

Correct. However, SDF, protected by US firepower and Special Forces including French, are located in Syria on territory not held by Syrian govt forces, shipped them to Iraq. Bottom line they are French citizens and France did not intercede.

Edited May 27, 20197 yr by simple1

I hope ther deaths are slow and painfull that goes to all religious criminals no matter what flavor they are

13 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Correct. However, SDF, protected by US firepower and Special Forces including French, are located in Syria on territory not held by Syrian govt forces, shipped them to Iraq. Bottom line they are French citizens and France did not intercede.

I have always thought the French could be a little more pragmatic about these things - when it suits them....

It's one thing to convict someone of war crimes and execute them.  It's another thing completely to execute them for fighting for the other side- after they've been captured.

 

If you want people to fight to the death, a good way to convince them is to execute your prisoners when they surrender on the battlefield.  That's a great way to guaranty they have nothing to gain by surrendering and ceasing hostility.  And it perpetuates every conflict where you're creating enemies faster than you can execute them.  Which sounds a lot like the so called "War on Terror".

 

Forgetting the humanitarian (and international law) aspect, it's just pragmatic to allow combatants to survive after they've ceased hostilities.  Otherwise, why would they ever stop?

 

12 minutes ago, impulse said:

It's one thing to convict someone of war crimes and execute them.  It's another thing completely to execute them for fighting for the other side- after they've been captured.

 

If you want people to fight to the death, a good way to convince them is to execute your prisoners when they surrender on the battlefield.  That's a great way to guaranty they have nothing to gain by surrendering and ceasing hostility.  And it perpetuates every conflict where you're creating enemies faster than you can execute them.  Which sounds a lot like the so called "War on Terror".

 

Forgetting the humanitarian (and international law) aspect, it's just pragmatic to allow combatants to survive after they've ceased hostilities.  Otherwise, why would they ever stop?

 

They stop when they are dead. The alternative is to ship them home, incarcerate them (expensively) for a few years, and then release them back into your society. Do you think they will be de-radicalised in prison?

One good thing about the death penalty, it sure reduces recidivism.

17 minutes ago, impulse said:

It's one thing to convict someone of war crimes and execute them.  It's another thing completely to execute them for fighting for the other side- after they've been captured.

 

If you want people to fight to the death, a good way to convince them is to execute your prisoners when they surrender on the battlefield.  That's a great way to guaranty they have nothing to gain by surrendering and ceasing hostility.  And it perpetuates every conflict where you're creating enemies faster than you can execute them.  Which sounds a lot like the so called "War on Terror".

 

Forgetting the humanitarian (and international law) aspect, it's just pragmatic to allow combatants to survive after they've ceased hostilities.  Otherwise, why would they ever stop?

 

They weren't fighting for a nation state. These despicable religious nuts are likely beyond redemption. The only captives they let live were ones they could use sexually. I'm normally against capital punishment but if another country like Iraq wants to be done with them I'm fine with it. Same goes for the Saudi Crown Prince if caught. 

Check to ensure they are French & not monkeys......

28 minutes ago, Ozman52 said:

They stop when they are dead. The alternative is to ship them home, incarcerate them (expensively) for a few years, and then release them back into your society. Do you think they will be de-radicalised in prison?

One good thing about the death penalty, it sure reduces recidivism.

 

Here's just a few examples to stew on...

 

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/terrorist-groups-and-political-legitimacy

 

You figure there'd be peace in Ireland if the British had executed everyone they captured from the IRA?  Or in any one of a half dozen now peaceful countries in South America where former terrorists are now party leaders?

 

Edited May 27, 20197 yr by impulse

Som nam inshallah. 

The 3 must be celebrating: "Oh goody! I get quick ride to paradise! Praise God!"

2 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Check to ensure they are French & not monkeys......

...........said the man from Hartlepool.

1 hour ago, Emdog said:

The 3 must be celebrating: "Oh goody! I get quick ride to paradise! Praise God!"

Maybe, but i would think they've spun out of virgins by now (sarc.) so chomp does'nt get confused again!

5 hours ago, madmen said:

live by the sword ...

That's right.

Crimes committed in Syria and Iraq should be prosecuted in Syria and Iraq. End of story. 

2 hours ago, Emdog said:

The 3 must be celebrating: "Oh goody! I get quick ride to paradise! Praise God!"

The 59 or whatever number of virgins may turn out to be men ????

4 hours ago, topt said:

I have always thought the French could be a little more pragmatic about these things - when it suits them....

France actually hired Iraqi Army soldiers to kill French Muslim extremists in Iraq, to prevent them from coming back to France: https://outline.com/wdGJW7

Edited May 27, 20197 yr by wolf81

4 hours ago, impulse said:

It's one thing to convict someone of war crimes and execute them.  It's another thing completely to execute them for fighting for the other side- after they've been captured.

 

If you want people to fight to the death, a good way to convince them is to execute your prisoners when they surrender on the battlefield.  That's a great way to guaranty they have nothing to gain by surrendering and ceasing hostility.  And it perpetuates every conflict where you're creating enemies faster than you can execute them.  Which sounds a lot like the so called "War on Terror".

 

Forgetting the humanitarian (and international law) aspect, it's just pragmatic to allow combatants to survive after they've ceased hostilities.  Otherwise, why would they ever stop?

 

What you say is absolutely correct, but if someone has committed atrocities in war, by surrendering to your enemy, they know that they will possibly be investigated and if found guilty of such crimes, likely to receive a death sentence. 

 

While many others, will surrender simply because they have no stomach for fighting real soldiers....... It's easy for them to be vicious, torturing thugs when their side is on a winning streak.

3 hours ago, monkeycu said:

The 59 or whatever number of virgins may turn out to be men ????

more likely goats

They are probably not proper French  as we know them . More like French - islamic mix . 

4 hours ago, Ulic said:

Crimes committed in Syria and Iraq should be prosecuted in Syria and Iraq. End of story. 

Why ??? A crime is a crime no matter where its committed . Like all the western pedophiles in Thailand - they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law BOTH in Thailand AND in the west . 

The stupid thing is that executing them would probably be doing them a favour as death is a relief from spending the rest of one's life slowly rotting in an Iraqi jail.

All ISIS Islamist Jihadi fighters should face the same fate. Send them to their fake paradise. We will be doing them a favor.

With the Jihadi ISIS women we should leave them in Iraq or Syria and let the people there deal with them wherever they came from.

We should remove their children and find good Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Christian or Atheist foster homes for them in the west.