Libya Court Sentences 23 Jihadis To Death For ISIS Involvement

A Libyan court has delivered verdicts in a case related to a fatal ISIL campaign in 2015. 23 individuals were sentenced to death, while 14 others received life imprisonment for their involvement.

Additional prison terms were assigned to several individuals, with one person receiving a 12-year sentence, six individuals given 10-year terms, one person receiving a five-year term, and six others sentenced to three years in prison. The attorney general’s office provided this information in a statement.

ISIL’s Involvement In Libya

ISIL established a presence in Libya, taking advantage of the instability following the NATO-backed rebellion in 2011. 

The organization found a base outside Iraq and Syria and capitalized on the turmoil and conflict in the North African nation. This instability allowed ISIL to profit from the situation.

ISIL, along with other organizations, took advantage of the chaos and instability that followed the 2011 uprising in Libya, which led to the ousting and murder of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Attacks on Corinthia Hotel & Kidnappings

During their campaign, the armed group targeted the opulent Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli, resulting in the deaths of nine people. 

Additionally, they kidnapped and beheaded numerous Egyptian Christians, documenting these brutal killings in propaganda videos.

Control over Eastern Libyan Cities and Sirte

The organization seized control of several cities in eastern Libya, including Benghazi, Derna, and Ajdabiya. 

They later captured the key coastal city of Sirte, where they maintained control until late 2016. During this period, ISIL implemented a strict code of public morals, enforced through harsh penalties.

Court Verdicts and Reactions

The court has given sentences based on the evidence presented. According to attorney Lotfi Mohaychem, three young individuals were each sentenced to ten years in prison. 

Mohaychem, representing the victims’ families, expressed satisfaction with the court’s verdict, considering it fair and just. The court acquitted those against whom there was insufficient evidence.

Severals Still Under Trial

In December 2016, soldiers supporting the former Government of National Accord, backed by the United Nations, drove ISIL out of Sirte. 

Two years later, forces under Khalifa Haftar regained control of Derna. Despite these victories, many purported ex-ISIL combatants remain detained in Libyan prisons, with numerous individuals still awaiting trial.