US sentences UK militant supporters
- 10 years ago
British national Babar Ahmad's been sentenced to 12 and half years by a U.S. court for supporting Muslim militants.
He admitted the offence of supporting them through print and online publications in December.
Prosecutors said his crime included fund raising and recruitment of fighters ahead of the September 11th attacks in 2001.
The sentence includes ten years Ahmad's already served in jail.
His family left court without commenting but one of his lawyers praised the judge.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) JOSHUA DRATEL, ONE OF THE DEFENCE LAWYERS FOR BABAR AHMAD, SAYING:
"I think he's grateful to the judge's ability to get beyond, as she said herself, get beyond the labels that apply in these cases and sentence a human being."
A second Briton, Syed Talha Ahsan, who appeared alongside Ahmad, admitted supporting the Taliban through publications.
Ahsan's been jailed for nine years, more than eight of which he's already served.
Ahsan's brother cri
He admitted the offence of supporting them through print and online publications in December.
Prosecutors said his crime included fund raising and recruitment of fighters ahead of the September 11th attacks in 2001.
The sentence includes ten years Ahmad's already served in jail.
His family left court without commenting but one of his lawyers praised the judge.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) JOSHUA DRATEL, ONE OF THE DEFENCE LAWYERS FOR BABAR AHMAD, SAYING:
"I think he's grateful to the judge's ability to get beyond, as she said herself, get beyond the labels that apply in these cases and sentence a human being."
A second Briton, Syed Talha Ahsan, who appeared alongside Ahmad, admitted supporting the Taliban through publications.
Ahsan's been jailed for nine years, more than eight of which he's already served.
Ahsan's brother cri