Nine French jihadists are now on death row in Iraq after a court sentenced two more to death on Sunday for joining the Islamic State group, rejecting a claim of torture.
Fodil Tahar Aouidate and Vianney Ouraghi were among 11 French citizens and one Tunisian handed over to Iraqi authorities in January by a US-backed force fighting the jihadist group in Syria.
Described as violent and ready to die for the extremist IS ideology, Aouidate first appeared in court on May 27 but a judge delayed his trial and ordered a medical examination after the 32-year-old claimed he was tortured into confessing.
“The medical report shows that there are no signs of torture on his body,” the judge told the court before handing down his sentence.
His trial was quickly followed by that of 28-year-old Ouraghi, who acknowledged in court that he “worked with” IS but said he did not participate in any fighting.
Baghdad has handed capital punishments to seven of the other French jihadists and the Tunisian over the past week.
Hearings for the last two suspected French IS members to be tried in Baghdad are set for Monday.
Iraq has sentenced more than 500 suspected foreign members of IS since the start of 2018.
Source: Guardian Newspaper.
