A Swedish court has sentenced a Swedish man to life in prison for his part in the 2015 death of a Jordanian pilot who was allegedly burned alive in a cage by ISIL (ISIS) in Syria.
Judge Anna Liljenberg Gullesjo stated in a statement on Thursday that the investigation revealed that the defendant, identified as Osama Krayem, was “at the execution site, uniformed and armed, and allowed himself to be filmed.”
The judge at the Stockholm District Court stated that the defendant’s actions “should be regarded as a perpetrator” despite the video evidence that showed another man lighting the fire that killed Muath al-Kassasbeh.
Krayem has already served lengthy prison sentences for his involvement in the 2015 and 2016 30-year and life-time tragedies in Paris and Brussels, respectively. He was moved from France to Sweden so that he could stand trial in Stockholm.
The 32-year-old has denied having intent to act, and has been given a life sentence for “serious war crimes and terrorist crimes.” His Swedish attorney did not respond right away.
Brutesque murder
An aircraft from the Royal Jordanian Air Force crashed in Syria on December 24, 2014.
The pilot was taken by ISIL (ISIS) armed group fighters the same day, which had previously ruled large areas of Syria and Iraq. According to the prosecution, he was burned to death shortly before February 3, 2015.
According to the prosecution, the 26-year-old victim is seen passing several masked ISIL fighters, including Krayem, in the 22-minute video. The pilot is then seen praying and being set on fire while the cage is being locked in.
The first court in Sweden to hear a case involving the infamous killing. Courts in Sweden may prosecute individuals for breaking international law while they are convicted abroad.
Jordan, which at the time was participating in the US-led coalition’s strikes against ISIL positions in Syria, was shocked by Al-Kassasbeh’s death, which sparked international outcry. ISIL later explained why Jordanian pilot was killed.
Source: Aljazeera
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