Already convicted for the Paris attacks, but also of Brussels, the Swedish jihadist Osama Krayem is now sentenced by a Swedish court. He received this perpetuity this Thursday for his participation in the assassination of a Jordanian pilot burned alive in a cage in Syria in 2015.
It was the first and only trial of a suspect in the assassination of the Jordanian pilot, a barbaric act which caused an international outcry in 2015. The death of this pilot had stunned the world and Jordan, which participated in the strikes of the international coalition led by the United States against the positions of the jihadist Islamic State (IS).
The Stockholm court is the first, and the only one, to have judged a person for this assassination committed by IS members, who had shocked the whole world in 2015.
“The accused was at the place of execution, in uniform, armed, and he agreed to be filmed (…) he contributed so decisive to the death of the victim that he must be considered as co -author of the facts,” said judge Anna Liljenberg Gullesjö, quoted in a statement from the Stockholm court.
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On December 24, 2014, a Jordanian Air Force plane had been shot in Syria near Raqqa, and the pilot, Muath al-Kasasbeh, captured by IS the same day. A video published on February 3, 2015 will stage its killing: the cage is burnt down by one of the 13 fighters present, among which is the Swedish, igniting the pilot.
“Her behavior consisted, in concert with other men, to keep the victim both before and during the execution, and to drive it to the cage where she was burned long,” added the magistrate.
The verdict conforms to the indictments of the prosecutors. Osama Krayem was tried for “act of terrorism” and “aggravated war crime” during the trial held from June 4 to 26. The court also granted compensation to the parents and brothers and sisters of the Jordanian pilot, up to 80,000 Swedish crowns (nearly 7,200 euros) each.
The 32 -year -old jihadist kept silent for the duration of the hearings.
A selection of filmed and written interrogations paid to the investigation file was therefore read and disseminated during the trial.
“Neither empathy, nor regret”
The fact that the Swedish did not speak “had no significant importance (on the judgment), because the prosecution presented solid evidence, and the investigation was rigorous,” Ms. Gullesjö told AFP.
Osama Krayem admits to having been present on the scene but ensures that he was unaware of what was going to happen before seeing the cameras, according to his lawyer.
This verdict brings “comfort to the family”, assured AFP the brother’s brother, Jawdat al-Kasasbeh, who formed a civil party.
“On behalf of the family of Muath al-Kasasbeh and the Jordanian people, we thank Sweden and the Swedish judicial system impartial for the efforts they have made in this case,” he said. He had moved since Jordan on the occasion of this trial to testify to the pain, still lively, which he shares with his loved ones. His lawyer, during his final argument, deplored that the accused would have shown neither empathy nor regret before the court.
“Most of the people who would have witnessed what Muath suffered would undoubtedly need life treatment, or at least long, to overcome the trauma that causes it in a normally constituted individual,” pleaded Mikael Westerlund.
“Krayem does not seem to have been traumatized, but inspired. Inspired to continue his terrorist business, which led him to participate and then be sentenced for terrorist acts in Europe, “added Mr. Westerlund.
The Swedish has already been sentenced to 30 years in prison in France for complicity during the Paris attacks in 2015 and to perpetuity in Belgium for the attacks in the main Airport in Brussels and in the metro in 2016. France agreed on March 12 to hand it over to Sweden for nine months, the time for the investigation and the judgment.
He will have to be sent there at the latest on December 27, 2025, the Stockholm court said in his statement on Thursday.