Italy Rules Terrorists Are Guerillas

Missileer

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http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/library/news/2005/11/sec-051128-voa02.htm

Italy Clears Three North Africans of Terrorism Charges

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
28 November 2005

An appeals court in Italy threw out terrorism charges against three North Africans on Monday. One of the three, a Moroccan immigrant, was released from prison. His case was seen as a test for Italy's fight against Islamic militants.
Moroccan immigrant Mohammed Daki and two Tunisians were accused of sending militants to Iraq and planning attacks in Europe. But in a highly controversial ruling in January, a judge in Milan said they were guerrillas, not terrorists.
An appeals court Monday upheld that ruling. In addition, the court threw out a minor conviction against Mr. Daki for trading forged documents, acquitting him of all charges.
For Mr. Daki, who has spent the last year-and-a-half in prison, it was the end of a nightmare.
"I am happy," he said, "because I am innocent and I have never harmed anyone in my life."
Mr. Daki said he planned to stay in Italy, continue his studies and then find a job.
The two Tunisians also standing trial were acquitted of charges of international terrorism but sentenced to three years in prison for crimes related to illegal immigration.
New laws to combat international terrorism were introduced by Italy in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.
Because of a lack of evidence, Italian prosecutors have found it hard to win convictions against suspects arrested on the international terrorism charge.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said at the weekend some 200 "international terrorists" had been arrested in Italy during his four years in office.
But only two have been found guilty of terrorist-related activity. The others were either released or acquitted of the charge after trial.
 
sven hassell said:
Got any links to that?

It was a big story a while back, you could probobly find it on a google search easy.

Basically an Itallian judge ordered arrest warrents for 3 Americans who where suspected of being CIA agents that kidnapped a radical muslim cleric if I remember the story correctly.
 
Come on now WD! Losing your case before court means that you didn't prepare it well enough. Kidnapping is an illegal activity and if states turn to that..... well, that is the end of it. A wise man said many years ago that states are nothing more then big groups of robbers, but better organised.
I, for one like to think that this isn't so.... even if it means setting somebody free. A legitimate, judicial institute acquitted him, so who am I to doubt that?
 
Because they've put 200 terrorists on trial and only 2 have been convicted. Do you really think the Itallian police are so incredibly bad at their jobs that 99% of people they bring charges against are innocent? I think the Itallians are smarter than that even if you say they're incompetent.
 
I don't say they are incompetent. I am saying they need prove to put somebody away! If you don't have it, don't go to court.... And I am certainly worried when in the current mass hysteria, people do get put away based on rumours and suspicion.
If you take to these measures, please don't call yourself a true democracy with human rights! Totalitarian states do that! Exacty the kind of states the US is fighting for to abolish.
 
You won't say they are incompetent but I will. What kind of idiot can (with a straight fact) say a terrorist is a guerrilla. Guerrillas don't attack innocent civilians, they attack military targets. The Italian courts must be manned by morons to come to this conclusion. (Sorry - didn't mean to demean morons).

If you agree with these courts then you are as stupid as they are.
(Not a personal attack - just a generic statement).
 
Now you hit an interesting point Chief. When is somebody a guerilla and when is one a terrorist. What are the standards you use to call somebody a terrorist?
It is easy to find a few but to prove anybody is one in the judicial way.... well that is something else. And if you can't prove it, it means the other one is not guilty. I think it is a gutsy thing to do! To uphold the principals of western law that you are innocent untill proven guilty and that the law is equal to all. Even in times when these values are almost meaningless and people are put away indefinatly on no charges or grounds whatsoever.
 
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