11 November 2019, 11:29
Chechen native convicted in Paris for links with Syrian militants
A court in France sentenced Khasanbek Turchaev, a native of Chechnya, to 10 years in prison, after finding him guilty of taking part in warfare in Syria on the side of a terrorist organization.
In 2002, Khasanbek Turchaev received asylum in France; and in 2008, he received a French citizenship.
According to the court, Turchaev participated in battles in Syria, and also trained militants in sniper rifle shooting and manufacture of explosives, the Le Figaro writes.
Besides, according to investigators, Turchaev was Emir of a grouping that was part of the terrorist organization "Imarat Kavkaz", banned in Russia, the "MBKh Media" has added.
Turchaev has admitted that in 2013 and 2014 he spent about three months in Syria; but he has emphasized that he went there "to search for his brothers, not to fight." "I didn't fight, I defended myself," Turchaev has stressed.
He also explained that he was the Emir for "only 15 days." "When I was at the frontline, the Emir died during a battle, so they needed a boss. Young people loved me; they asked me to become the Emir's heir," the newspaper quotes Turchaev as saying.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 10, 2019 at 02:00 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
