France convicts 7 al Qaeda in Iraq recruiters

Washington Post:

A French judge on Wednesday convicted seven men on terrorism charges for recruiting young French Muslims to fight against U.S. forces in Iraq.

Prosecutors alleged that the seven -- five Frenchmen, a Moroccan and an Algerian -- helped send about a dozen French fighters to training camps linked to the insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq.

The investigation of an alleged recruiting ring started four years ago after a young Frenchman was found dead in the Iraqi city of Fallujah. The discovery fueled nationwide concern that France's poor immigrant communities could become fertile recruiting grounds for disenfranchised Muslim youths who might then turn to suicide attacks against European targets.

Over the years, investigators have found evidence of fewer than 20 French citizens who traveled to Iraq to participate in the war.

The judge Wednesday handed down sentences ranging from 18 months to seven years for the defendants, three of whom were ordered released for time served awaiting trial.

Each of the men confessed to traveling to Iraq, but denied participation in any terrorist cell. All were convicted of "criminal association with a terrorist enterprise," which carries a maximum 10-year sentence.

Judge Jacqueline Rebeyrotte said the group's leader, Farid Benyettou, 27, used religious teachings to recruit young men for Iraq. She said in her ruling that he provided weapons, training and travel through Syria to Iraq. He was sentenced to six years.

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You mean to say the terrorist had a religious component? Could it be that Muslims are persuaded by religious bigotry to go explode in Iraq? Who knew? Cenrtianly not the US State Department PC patrols who have banned words that suggest the religious component of the enemy operations.

The good news is that France is actually prosecuting these people rather than facilitating them. That shows how much things have changed under Sarkozy. It is also another example of the enemy losing ground everywhere these days.