Terrorist Sentenced to Four Years

A Düsseldorf court sentenced Shadi Abdallah, a member of the terrorist al Tawhid organization and self-confessed former bodyguard to Osama bin Laden, to four years in prison for his role in helping plan attacks in Germany. Abdallah received less than half of the maximum ten-year sentence because of the extensive testimony he has given since his trial opened on June 24.

A Palestinian who was born in Jordan, Abdallah was arrested along with nine other Islamic extremists in April 2002 on suspicion of plotting imminent terrorist attacks in Germany. The 27-year-old was also charged with membership in a terrorist organization and falsifying passports.

Abdallah testified that the al Tawhid organization, which hoped to emulate al Qaeda, had planned to attack the Jewish museum or another target in Berlin and two restaurants in Düsseldorf. He described al Tawhid as a radical Palestinian group dedicated to overthrowing the Jordanian government and "fighting the Jews."

Cooperation brought leniency

In his closing statement last Wednesday, Abdallah expressed remorse for his actions. "I accept that I am guilty and should be punished," he said.

His lawyer, Rüdiger Deckers, had asked the court to take Abdallah's cooperation with authorities into consideration when handing down a sentence.

Abdallah's detailed testimony gave investigators insights into al Tawhid as well as al Qaeda and Prosecutor Dirk Fernholz said the information had been "of outstanding importance," but added that Abdallah had bought hand grenades as well as a pistol with a silencer into Germany to carry out attacks.

"One can hardly imagine the damage that could have resulted from the planned attacks," Fernholz said in his closing statements on Nov. 19. "Although he was uncertain at times about the meaning of his actions, he carried out preparations for the attacks until the end."

Terror training in Afghanistan

Abdallah said he became associated with the al Tawhid group, led by fugitive and fellow Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, when he met the man in Afghanistan in early 2000. Abdallah testified he had gone to the country to attend an al Qaeda terrorist training camp, where he learned how to handle weapons, poisons and explosives as well as received schooling in the logistics of terrorist attacks. He said while there he served for two weeks as Osama bin Laden's bodyguard.

In May 2001 he returned to Germany and quickly became involved in terrorist cells in several German cities. He told the court that it was shortly after the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center that the German cell of al Tawhid begin making plans for attacks on German soil.

Abdallah has given evidence in the German trials of two suspects accused of involvement in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. A court sentenced Mounir El Motassadeq to 15 years in February and Abdelghani Mzoudi is still on trial.

He is the first member of the al Tawhid group in Germany to go on trial. Federal prosecutors filed charges against other members in August, including the cell's alleged leader, Mohammed Abu Dhess.