 BAGHDAD - The Iraqi Central Criminal Court has found 321 of 482 suspected terrorists guilty during a series of trials, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the Iraqi Communications Ministry.
It did not say over what period the trials had taken place. It concentrated on three cases in which five persons were found guilty of possessing unlicensed weapons found in raids conducted in August 2003, and January and December 2004. Although the names of the accused were given, the locations of the raids were not mentioned. The sentences handed down ranged from 18 months to life imprisonment.
| Life? Excellent. Iraqi legal system is getting warmed up. |
Weaponry found included rifles, revolvers, machineguns and various types of mortar shells and grenades, including those used in rocket- propelled grenade launchers. Explosives and firearm ammunition were also found, plus ID cards for the Afghan army, an instruction booklet for flying a 747 aircraft, and tyres for a US Humvee all-terrain vehicle.
| The guy whose fingerprints were on the 747 manual? He gets life. |
Iraq also said it had released 259 detainees on Thursday and Saturday after finding that there was insufficient evidence supporting the accusations against them.
| Hmmm, the new Iraqi legal system also seems to be more, um, just than the previous one. |
The persons were freed on the recommendation of a joint committee of representatives of the ministries of human rights, defence and interior, and high-level armed forces officials. The committee has reviewed the cases of 12,500 persons, and recommended releasing some 7,000, but did not mention over what period it had been operating. |