Fraud for al Qaeda

After a trial that lasted over one and a half years, the Düsseldorf court declared the men guilty of supporting al Qaeda and attempting to raise funds for the organization through massive insurance fraud.

The court sentenced the 32-year-old principle defendant, Ibrahim Mohamed K., to seven years imprisonment for membership in a terrorist organization and attempted fraud in 28 cases. Yasser Abu S. received a six-year sentence for the same crimes. His brother, Ismail Abu S. was sentenced to three and a half years in jail for attempted fraud.

Ibrahim Mohamed K, a Syrian national, was instructed to recruit terrorists in Europe for al Qaeda, according to the charges. The Palestinian brothers had tried to collect money for Osama bin Laden's organization through a life insurance fraud scheme that would have brought in over 4 million euros ($5.9 million) had it been successful.

The state prosecutor's office had called for jail terms of between five and nine years for the men. Their defense attorneys had argued for acquittals.

German law and Germany's press codex attempt to protect the privacy of suspected and convicted criminals by only allowing publication of their first names and the first initial of their surnames. DW-WORLD.DE adheres to this practice.