Spanish judiciary sentences Allouni for five year imprisonment
Syria-Spain, Politics, 9/27/2005

The Spanish judiciary sentenced seven year imprisonment with fines against Tayser Allouni, who was brought on Monday before the Spanish national court under the only charge addressed against him, which is having conducted "an interview" with the leader of al-Qaida organization Osama Bin Laden for al-Jazeera TV in 2001 when he was its correspondent in Afghanistan.

Monday's session was dedicated to read the sentence and did not include any interventions by the defense nor any other measures. The court circulated on the accused men explanations for the reasons why they were convicted so as to be able to appeal the sentence.

Wife of Yayser Allouni, Fatimat al-Zahra, asserted that her husband is innocent from all accusations addressed to him. She said she will "seek to prove he is innocent by all means until the ultimate end." She explained that her future plan is to appeal the sentence before the supreme court and to renew the demands to release Allouni under guarantee because of his poor health conditions.

Al-Jazeera TV had expressed hope that the sentence would be fair and based on the implications of the investigations which dropped all accusations addressed to him with the exception of having conducted the interview for it and then was broadcast by CNN.

Allouni was released during his trial because of heart problems, but he was re-arrested on September 16 in Granada after he asked for a permission to leave for Syria to attend the funeral of his mother.

He repeatedly denied accusations addressed to him. He said in earlier meetings with the mass media that his trial is made for political considerations.

Previous Stories:
  Allouni put in prison, again   (9/17/2005)
  Arab states mistreat free press   (5/4/2005)
  Moratinos hails Syrian move in Lebanon   (4/6/2005)
  Spanish police detains Teiser Allouni   (11/19/2004)
  Spain: Allouni denies links to al- Qaida   (9/25/2003)

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