Up to six years imprisonment sentenced in Dutch trial of suspected extremists

In a major Dutch trial a total of nine suspected extremists were sentenced to a maximum of six years in prison on Thursday by the court of The Hague.

In the trial the nine Dutch citizens were suspected of membership of a radical organization, that originated in The Hague neighborhood Schilderswijk, sedition to a terror offense and recruiting for the armed struggle in Syria and Iraq.

The main conclusion was that the suspects formed an organization, an enduring partnership, with terrorist aims, the court ruled.

The aim of the organization was, according to the court, sedition aimed at recruiting people for the armed struggle in Syria and Iraq.

Prior to the reading of the verdicts, the judge emphasized that the convicts were not on trial for committing terrorist crimes in the Netherlands.

"There is no indication that they were planning to carry out an attack in the Netherlands," the judge said.

Being openly sympathetic to the Islamic State (IS), criticizing democracy and the propagation of ideas are not illegal in the Netherlands, but sedition and incitement to hatred and violence are. Only a part of the expressions of the suspects were seditious, the judge ruled.

Six of the men were convicted of participating in a criminal organization with terrorist aims. They are receiving prison sentences ranging from three years including one year of probation to 6 years imprisonment.

Main suspect Azzedine C., 33 years old, received six years in prison, one year less than demanded.

In addition, Hatim R., 26, and Anis. Z., 24, were sentenced in absentia to six years in prison. They are probably still fighting in Syria.

The only female defendant, Imane B., 26, received the lowest punishment, seven days in prison, for an incendiary retweet on Twitter. She was not considered as part of the criminal organization.

The nine convicted can appeal against the verdicts. Endit