German IS members sentenced to several years' imprisonment

Two 28-year-old German men have been sentenced to several years' imprisonment for being a part of Islamic State (IS) group, the Duesseldorf Higher Regional Court announced on Friday.

Mustafa C. from the German city of Moenchengladbach has to face six years and three months imprisonment, while Sebastian B. from Herford was sentenced to four-and-a-half years of imprisonment.

The court said the two defendants traveled in 2013 from Turkey to Syria to join the radical organization.

Upon arrival, they underwent several weeks of training on firearms and were assigned subsequently to a fighting force whose deputy leader was Mustafa C.

In addition to logistical tasks, such as the transport of food to the front line, the accused also stood guard and kept ready for combat missions.

In October 2013, they took part in a major military operation of the organization near Ar-Raqqa. However, it could not be established that they were directly involved in the combat operation.

During the 34-day trial, about 50 witnesses and two experts were heard. One of the accused broke his silence in March and made a confession. Enditem