Jail term for head of Spanish 9/11 cell cut by 15 years

16 February 2006

MADRID — Spanish federal prosecutors have recommended that 15 years be knocked off the 27-year sentence the National Court imposed last year on Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, leader of the al-Qaeda cell in Spain.

Judicial sources said the recommendation by prosecutors attached to the Supreme Court comes after it was acknowledged it was not proven beyond a doubt he took part in organising the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington.

The Syrian-born convict made the claim in his appeal against the sentence.

That charge represented 15 years of the 27-year term imposed last September on Barakat, also known as Abu Dahdah.

The other 12 years in jail were imposed for belonging to a terrorist organization.

Barakat received the longest sentence among 18 defendants convicted along with him on terrorism charges in last year’s high-profile proceedings.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news