By Peter McLaren-Kennedy • Published: 06 Feb 2022 • 14:43
Source: Wikipedia
A Danish Court in Roskilde, near Copenhagen, has found three members of an Iranian separatist group of promoting terrorism and spying for Saudi Arabia. The members of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz (ASMLA), were not identified in line with Danish laws, were detained back in February 2020 having remained in custody. Aged between 40 and 51, the three now face up to 12 years in jail, with their sentences expected to be announced next month. All the defendants have been exiled from Iran, with one of them holding Danish citizenship. The court found the defendants guilty of spying on behalf of an unspecified Saudi Arabian intelligence service. According to court documents they had been collecting information “about individuals and organisations” linked to Iran and its military in Denmark and abroad, passing it to their Saudi handlers afterwards. The majority of the jury also found the three defendants guilty on other charges, promoting terrorism, financing and attempting to finance terrorism. The trio was aiding the militant wing of ASMLA, with the court noting the actions of this group had gone far beyond “the limits of a legitimate freedom struggle.” The defendants are believed to have received more than 15 million kroner (2 million euros) from their Saudi handlers. One of the defendants was also found guilty of trying to get additional funds from an unnamed Saudi official for food, drink, and weapons. ASMLA is an ethnic separatist group, seeking to establish its own Arab state in Iranian territory, focusing primarily on Iran’s south western region of Khuzestan. The organisation, which is officially designated as a terrorist group by Tehran, is believed to have staged multiple attacks on Iranian soil, including a deadly assault on a military parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz in September 2018. The attack left at least 25 people dead. The court was unanimous in finding the three guilty of spying for Saudi Arabia, which will do little to help the kingdom’s international reputation.
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Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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