Austria: Former taekwondo state champion Turpal I is on trial for numerous massacres committed for the IS in Syria – He is said to have cut the children out of pregnant women’s stomachs

Born in Chechnya, he had already had a successful career as a martial artist before joining IS. The combat unit he led is alleged to have committed murders of unprecedented brutality in Syria, including against civilians. Today, Wednesday, his trial begins. He denies any guilt.

First an Austrian taekwondo state champion, then the leader of an IS combat unit in Syria. The story of Turpal I, a native of Chechnya, sounds astonishing, almost inconceivable, and can hardly be surpassed in terms of brutality.

The 33-year-old first came to Austria as a refugee in 2004. That was in 2004. Then he started a successful career as a martial artist. Later he was radicalised by Austria’s best-known hate preacher Mirsad Omerovic and moved to Syria under the fighting name “Abu Aische”. The troops he led are said to have beheaded people under his command, including civilians, buried them alive and, in addition, cut the children out of pregnant women’s wombs. Turpal I himself is also said to have participated in the murders.

In November 2018, the Chechen was handcuffed in Belarus. He was taken into extradition custody, and shortly afterwards the authorities in Belarus handed him over to the Austrian justice system. As of today, Wednesday, the 33-year-old will have to stand trial at the Regional Court for Criminal Matters in Vienna on charges including multiple murder. The indictment itself contains numerous pages.

His case most recently caused a stir at the beginning of May, but because of the failure of the judiciary: after the maximum period of detention of two years had been exceeded, he had to be released again – eXXpress reported. Since then, the Islamist, who is considered a danger to the public, has been at large in Vienna. However, he will appear at the trial, says his lawyer Florian Kreiner. Turpal I. wants to prove his innocence. He had only been in Syria to visit the grave of his fallen brother-in-law.

Mirsad Omerovic, who is said to have radicalised him, will also stand trial in the Grand Jury Room. Omerovic was already sentenced to 20 years in prison in Graz in 2016. The other seven defendants are comrades-in-arms and family members of Turpal I.

The indictment also contains conversations intercepted by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which give a deep insight into the world of ideas of the IS. For example, Mirsad Omerovic and the third defendant Bernd T. exchanged information about a bazaar with slave girls. A female slave is said to cost between 500 and 2000 euros – “depending on her beauty and age”, Bernd T. says. “Then you can do whatever you want with her.” Underage Kurdish girls are said to be among them. But Bernt T. also talks enthusiastically about two Italian girls.

The indictment also contains conversations intercepted by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which give a deep insight into the world of ideas of the IS. For example, Mirsad Omerovic and the third defendant Bernd T. exchanged information about a bazaar with slave girls. A female slave is said to cost between 500 and 2000 euros – “depending on her beauty and age”, Bernd T. says. “Then you can do whatever you want with her.” Underage Kurdish girls are said to be among them. But Bernt T. also talks enthusiastically about two Italian girls. “Just think about it. Allah akbar. Two real female Western Europeans, standing there on the market for sale .”

The trial is scheduled for several days, the security precautions are massive.

https://exxpress.at/wien-ex-taekwondo-staatsmeister-vor-gericht-wegen-massaker-in-syrien/