Thursday, June 24, 2010

Pakistan Jails 5 American Muslims


SARGODHA, Pakistan — A Pakistani court sentenced five American Muslim men to 15 years in prison for conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks, six months after they were arrested by Pakistani authorities in the province of Punjab.

The five men, all in their 20s and all from Virginia, are believed by Pakistani and American law enforcement officials to have traveled to Pakistan in December to join the fight against American forces in Afghanistan. On Thursday, Judge Mian Anwar Nazir found them guilty, and sentenced them to 10 years and fines of $823 for conspiring against the state and five more years for funding of a militant organization. The sentences will run concurrently.

A lawyer for the men, Hassan Katchela, said that his clients were disappointed by the sentence and that he would appeal the case within a week.

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