29 December 2015•Update: 29 December 2015
ADANA, Turkey
A court in southern Turkey on Tuesday sentenced a Syrian national to 12 years in prison for "being a member of a terrorist organization".
In May 2013, Hytham Qassap, suspected of being ties with al-Qaeda was hit with an inquiry by the prosecutor's office of the southern Adana province over reports that he had been providing chemical weapons to the group.
Turkish police launched an operation on May 28, 2013 and detained a total of 13 suspects, who were later freed; Qassap was also released on Oct. 30, 2013, pending trial.
On Tuesday, the Ninth High Criminal Court of Adana sentenced Qassap to jail but acquitted Raif Ay, Bekir Karaoglan, Halit Usta, Halit Unalkaya and Ibrahim Akca.
None of the suspects were present at the ruling.
Qassap's attorney maintained his client had no connection with the terrorist al-Qaeda group.
