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Twelve acquitted of terrorism charges in Gambia
Thursday, 12 May 2011 22:29
(AFP) - A Gambian court has acquitted 12 of 16 suspected rebels from Senegal's troubled southern Casamance region,
who were arrested in 2006 for alleged terror-related offences.Judge Joseph Ikpala of the Gambian Special Criminal Court on Wednesday ruled the prosecution had failed to make a case against the accused.
The state prosecutor urged the court to keep the men in custody pending an appeal but Ikpala agreed to release them on bail of $8,000 (5,600 euros) each. The men were still in custody on Thursday.
The accused are believed to be members of the Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces (MFDC), a rebel group which has been fighting for independence from the rest of Senegal since 1982. Tiny Gambia is wedged into Senegal, separating the north of the country from the Casamance region.
Those released include four Gambians, among them a former National Intelligence Agency operative and former army sergeant, and eight Senegalese.
"The men are accused of conspiring to carry out acts of terrorism against Senegal while on Gambian territory between 2004 and 2006," lawyer Edrissa Sissoho told AFP.
He said the men were also accused of receiving stolen property and unlawfully being in possession of Gambian national identity cards. They were arrested and jailed in 2006, but were charged only in 2009.
Sporadic violence continues in one of Africa's longest running conflicts, which peace deals and negotiations have failed to halt, hampered mainly by splits in the MFDC.
A renewal of conflict at the end of 2010 saw at least 19 Senegalese soldiers and an unknown number of rebels killed since December.
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Comments
Comment
A clear window-views into the composition of the Cassa-rebels; why waste State funds, time & resources, in pretence-prosecutions, to distract attention, when the REAL culprits linger about & continue to be sealed? It’s the highest treachery for a foreigner to meddle in another state’s affairs, especially use of arms to murder humans in cold blood. The REAL culprits will face justice in end; Insha Allah.
How can a gambian military sergent and NIA staff work with rebels without government involvement? I knew President Wade would not buy such cooked up story.
"The men were also accused of receiving stolen property and unlawfully being in possession of Gambian national identity cards."
This shows that Gambia has become a sanctuary for bandits and murderers.
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