Sweden Imprisons Extremist for Executing Jordanian Aviator Through Immolation
In a groundbreaking ruling, Osama Krayem, a Swedish Islamist militant, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in Sweden for his involvement in the capture and brutal execution of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kassasbeh in 2015. Krayem, who hails from Malmo in southern Sweden, was also convicted for his roles in the 2015 Paris and 2016 Brussels terrorist attacks.
The tragic saga began when Al-Kassasbeh, a Jordanian Royal Air Force pilot, was captured by ISIL (ISIS) militants near Raqqa, Syria, after his plane crashed in late 2014. ISIL forcibly detained him, and in early 2015, he was burned alive inside a cage, an act that was filmed and widely publicized to incite terror.
A Stockholm court found Krayem guilty for being at the execution site, armed and uniformed, and for allowing himself to be filmed during the event. Although another individual was seen lighting the fire, the court concluded that Krayem's actions contributed significantly enough to the murder to consider him a perpetrator.
Krayem's conviction marks the first trial and conviction worldwide for a person involved directly in the notorious killing of the Jordanian pilot by ISIL. The court also ordered compensation for the victim's family members, amounting to 80,000 Swedish kronor each.
The investigation was thorough and presented solid evidence, despite Krayem's silence throughout the hearings. Jawdat al-Kassasbeh, the pilot's brother, traveled from Jordan to testify in the trial. The family's lawyer, Mikael Westerlund, lamented that Krayem showed no empathy or remorse for his actions.
The Swedish court's decision was welcomed by the Jordanian government, with spokesman Mohammed Momani stating that Jordanians will always remember the horrible crime and that this decision is a significant step towards achieving justice. The family of Maaz al-Kassasbeh also expressed gratitude to Sweden and the Swedish judiciary for their efforts in the case.
France agreed to hand over Krayem to Sweden for nine months, and he must be returned to France by December 27 at the latest. Krayem's life sentence in Sweden specifically pertains to the war crimes and terrorist crimes committed in Syria.
[1] France agrees to hand over Krayem to Sweden [2] Swedish court convicts Islamist militant for war crimes [3] Swedish court sentences Islamist militant to life in prison for war crimes [4] Swedish court orders compensation for family of Jordanian pilot killed by ISIL [5] Jordanian pilot's brother testifies in Sweden over ISIL killing
[1] General news outlets report on the ongoing politics and diplomacy as France agrees to hand over Osama Krayem, an Islamist militant, to Sweden for trial in connection to his involvement in war-and-conflicts.
[2] Crime-and-justice sections of international news media cover the groundbreaking ruling by a Swedish court, where Osama Krayem, a notorious militant, is found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment for war-and-conflicts-related crimes and his role in the execution of the Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kassasbeh by ISIL (ISIS).
