Islamist Extremist Gets 9 Years in Prison for Destroying Cultural Heritage Sites
- September 28, 2016 13:45
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague sentenced Islamic extremist Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi to nine years in prison for destroying Muslim shrines in Timbuktu, Mali. The case represents the first prosecution for the destruction of a cultural heritage site as a war crime.
Linked to al-Qaeda, Mahdi was facing up to 30 years in prison for the crime which included dismantling centuries-old Sufi shrines (containing tombs of Muslim holy men) and a 15th century mosque in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Timbuktu.
A number of factors contributed to the lighter sentence, explained one judge, who noted that Mahdi expressed remorse for his involvement in destroying cultural sites during 2012's Islamist takeover of Northern Mali.
The damaged structures have since been rebuilt.
