Iraq condemns fourth French jihadist to death

PARIS - An Iraqi court on Monday condemned a fourth French citizen to death for joining the Islamic State group, a day after handing capital punishments to three other Frenchmen.

Mustapha Merzoughi, 37, was sentenced to death by hanging, according to a journalist at the court.

"The evidence and the confession show that you joined the Islamic State group, that you worked in its military branch," the judge told Merzoughi before handing down his sentence.

In recent months Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists including foreigners captured in neighbouring Syria by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate".

The Iraqi judiciary said earlier in May that it had tried and sentenced more than 500 suspected foreign members of IS since the start of 2018.

"I'm not guilty of crimes and killings. I'm guilty of going (to Syria)," Merzoughi, wearing a yellow prison uniform, told the judge.

"I ask for forgiveness from the people of Iraq, Syria, France and the families of the victims."

Merzoughi told investigators he had served in the French army from 2000 to 2010, including a tour in Afghanistan in 2009.

In France, he lived in the southwestern city of Toulouse, the hometown of jihadist brothers Fabien and Jean-Michel Clain who claimed the deadly 2015 attacks in Paris and were killed fighting in Syria.

Passing through Belgium and then Morocco, the French citizen of Tunisian origin underwent "religious and military training in Aleppo", in northern Syria.

Non to capital punishment

The French government said Monday that it would take "the necessary steps" to try to prevent Iraq from carrying out the death penalty against their citizens convicted of fighting alongside the Islamic State group.

"France is opposed in principle to the death penalty at all times and in all places," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

It said the detained men were receiving consular assistance to ensure they had legal representation ahead of an expected appeal of the ruling, which they can lodge within 30 days.

It added, however, that France "respects the sovereignty of Iraq's institutions".

France has long insisted that its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, refusing to repatriate them despite the risk they face capital punishment for waging their jihadist war in the region.

The inital three French fighters, Kevin Gonot, Leonard Lopez and Salim Machou, were transferred to Iraq for trial after being caught by US-backed forces in Syria.

They were among 13 French nationals caught in battle-scarred eastern Syria and handed to Iraqi authorities in February on suspicion of being members of IS's feared contingent of foreign fighters.

Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists, and the Iraqi judiciary said recently that it had tried and sentenced more than 500 suspected foreign members of IS since the start of 2018.

Its courts have condemned many to life in prison and others to death, though no foreign IS members have yet been executed.