Soldier faces five-year imprisonment after found guilty of ISIS association
In an unexpected legal verdict, a military officer and an assistant engineer are facing charges for their association with ISIS and promoting the terrorist group's extremist ideology. According to the Court of Appeal, headed by Counselor Nasr Salem Al-Haid, joined by Counselors Saud Al-Sanea and Tariq Metwally, the two citizens are accused of financing ISIS activities and creating a platform to spread the group's ideology.
The military officer and the assistant engineer found themselves in the dock following investigations by the Public Prosecution. The authorities charged them with belonging to ISIS and aiding their communication network, as well as promoting their destructive ideologies. Charges were based on the officer's confession during interrogations, testimonies from state security personnel, and evidence extracted from his mobile phone conversations. Their participation in ISIS posed a threat to national interests due to the group's intentions to destabilize the country's infrastructure.
The military officer admitted to supporting ISIS since its emergence in 2015, aligning himself with the group's objectives. He confessed to pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ISIS's leader, and actively supporting the group by following their news and updates on social media platforms. In 2016, he donated 60 Kuwaiti dinars to ISIS through a contact in Kuwait. Apart from this, he joined several social media groups and channels to communicate with ISIS members and their supporters, sharing and distributing content to promote the group's agenda.
In an attempt to gain more leverage within the group, the officer established and administered Telegram channels to allow others to join and view supportive content, such as videos, news, and updates on ISIS activities. His intention was to disseminate the organization's ideology further and even instigate pre-arrest activities.
He also connected with another individual, an assistant engineer, who expressed an interest in joining ISIS on a popular messaging app. Although the officer proposed traveling to Syria to join the organization, the engineer advised against it due to the unfavorable circumstances. Instead, he suggested traveling to Yemen to join ISIS. However, the officer was unable to carry out the plan due to his family commitments and the overall situation.
Throughout his communication with the engineer, he also corresponded via Telegram and his cell phone with multiple ISIS supporters, with plans to eventually join the organization's ranks in Syria. However, these plans never materialized due to the volatile nature of the conflict zone.
In a nutshell, a military officer and an assistant engineer face charges for their association with ISIS and for promoting the terrorist group's destructive ideologies through various electronic mediums. While the specific laws and penalties on ISIS-related activities can differ greatly from one country to another, joining a terrorist organization like ISIS and providing financial assistance can carry steep consequences, especially under international sanctions regimes and counterterrorism laws in many countries.
The military officer requested information from an assistant engineer about joining ISIS via a popular messaging app, indicating their mutual involvement with the terrorist group. The assistant engineering, in response, suggested traveling to Yemen instead of Syria to join ISIS. Despite their plans to join ISIS, the military officer's activities, including managing Telegram channels, donating funds, and communicating with ISIS supporters, were exposed, leading to their subsequent sentencing. The crime-and-justice system, in general-news, is taking action against individuals who aid in the spread and financing of ISIS, a terrorist organization recognized for its extremist ideologies and destructive activities.
