(NL Times) Former Hofstad Group member Samir A. was found guilty of financing terrorism and sentenced to 30 months in prison by the court in Rotterdam on Wednesday. The court ruled that the 36-year-old helped a group of women who support ISIS escape from camps in Syria, or sent them money directly with the help of money brokers and unmonitored banks, also known as hawala banking or “underground banking.”
A. was acquitted of charges that he participated in the jihadist organization ISIS. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) had called for a sentence of six [years in] prison. The imposed sentence was much lower than demanded, because A. was acquitted of participation in a terrorist organization, and the court said it was not proven that he intentionally supported ISIS.
