JURIST - Paper Chase: First Iraq insurgent tried in US federal court sentenced to 25 years in prison

[JURIST] Iraqi insurgent Wesam al Delaema was sentenced to 25 years in prison [DOJ press release] Thursday for conspiracy to murder US nationals outside the US. Al Delaema, who was charged [indictment, PDF] with the crime in 2005, is the first Iraqi insurgent to be tried in a US federal court. Al Delaema's final sentence will be determined by a Dutch court, and he will ultimately serve his term in a Dutch prison. Assistant Attorney General for National Security David Kris, commenting on the verdict, said, "The sentence imposed today should serve notice that the United States will use all available tools to pursue those who would plot attacks against our men and women serving in Iraq."

Al Delaema pleaded guilty [JURIST report] to conspiracy to commit murder in February, reversing his earlier plea of not guilty [JURIST report], entered in 2007. The Dutch Ministry of Justice extradited [JURIST report] al Delaema to the US in 2007 after authorization [JURIST report] from a Dutch court based on US promises to try al Delaema in a federal court rather than by a military commission.

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