When Barack Obama announced the death Osama bin Laden, the former leader of the jihadist organization al Qaeda, the American people and most parts of the occidental civilization were content for one of the most famous criminals of our recent history had been put to justice. This time, the law compels one of the people who were close to Osama bin Laden, with a former aide to bin Laden sentenced to life in prison.
The former aide has been finally sent to prison for the rest of his days. He was involved in the bombing of 2 embassies located in Africa. The tragic event caused by the former aide to bin Laden, among others, happened in 1998.
On Friday, the law sent to life in prison the former al Qaeda major figure after a trial which took place in a courtroom where people in connection to the 1998 bombings were present. For instance, the former al Qaeda senior has been confronted by one of the direct victims of the bombings, a woman who lost her sight after the explosions. In addition to that, the families who lost their loved ones during the 1998 bombings were also present in the courtroom to witness the final sentence to the former aide to bin Laden.
224 people have been killed in the explosions of 1998. The bombings targeted two embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Khaled al Fawwaz, the former aide to bin Laden and a defendant in this case, has played a major role in the success of the terrible mission by the jihadist group al Qaeda.
Khaled al Fawwaz was taken into custody the same year the embassies bombings took place. Just weeks after the tragic event, police caught him in London and arrested him. After that, he spent his years in the United Kingdom, because he was not extradited until 3 years ago. al Fawwaz is now 52 years old.
al Fawwaz has been accused for more than just taking part in the bombings in Africa, 17 years ago. In addition to that, he was charged with leading a military camp to train al Qaeda fighters in 1991. The military camp was located in Afghanistan. Moreover, al Fawwaz led a terror cell in the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, in 1993. Three years later, he supported bin Laden`s declaration of war against the United States.
“I don’t support violence. … I hope one day people will find other ways to live with their differences other than violence.”
al Fawwaz told the victims who were present at his trial.
Image Source: independent.co.uk
Joe Hennessey
