L'Aquila Court Convicts Anan Yaeesh of Terrorism, Sentences Him to 5 Years and 6 Months

The ruling follows Italy’s decision to try the case domestically after rejecting Israel’s extradition request on human rights grounds.

Overview

Two co-defendants, Ali Irar and Mansour Doghmosh, were acquitted by the Corte d’Assise dell’Aquila.
The sentence is well below prosecutors’ requests, which sought 12 years for Yaeesh and 9 and 7 years for the others.
Prosecutors cited intercepted Arabic communications and alleged fundraising for the Tulkarem Brigade and Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, while the defense disputed the translations and interpretations.
The court’s written motivations will be filed later as Yaeesh remains in custody at the high-security Melfi prison, where he followed proceedings by videoconference.
The verdict drew vocal reactions at the courthouse, with attendees shouting slogans in support of the Palestinian cause.