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Hezbollah Courier Guilty of Role in Cyprus Terror Plot Hezbollah Courier Guilty of Role in Cyprus Terror Plot
(about 3 hours later)
BERLIN — In a decision that could have significant repercussions for Hezbollah’s operations in Europe, a court in Cyprus on Thursday found a man guilty of participating in a plot to attack Israeli tourists on vacation on the Mediterranean island, part of a conspiracy similar to a deadly bombing last July in Bulgaria. BERLIN — In a decision that could have significant repercussions for Hezbollah’s operations in Europe, a court in Cyprus on Thursday found a man guilty of participating in a plot to attack Israeli tourists on vacation in Cyprus, part of a conspiracy similar to a deadly bombing last July in Bulgaria.
The court found the man, Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, a dual Swedish-Lebanese citizen, guilty on five out of the eight charges, including participation in a criminal organization. The three others were conspiracy charges, which the head judge said in the ruling were already covered under the five counts. Mr. Yaacoub will be sentenced at a separate hearing. The court found the man, Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, a dual Swedish-Lebanese citizen, guilty on five of the eight charges against him, including participation in a criminal organization. The three others were conspiracy charges, which the ruling said were already covered under the other counts. Mr. Yaacoub will be sentenced at a separate hearing.
“It has been proven that Hezbollah is an organization that operates under complete secrecy. There is no doubt that this group has multiple members and proceeds with various activities including military training of its members,” the head of the three-judge panel that ruled on the case, Tasia Psara-Miltiadou, said in court Thursday. “Therefore the court rules that Hezbollah acts as a criminal organization.” “It has been proven that Hezbollah is an organization that operates under complete secrecy,” the head of the three-judge panel that ruled on the case, Tasia Psara-Miltiadou, said in court Thursday. “There is no doubt that this group has multiple members and proceeds with various activities including military training of its members., Therefore, the court rules that Hezbollah acts as a criminal organization.”
Mr. Yaacoub admitted in court last month that he was a member of Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group, and that he was trained in the use of weapons and dispatched around Europe on missions as a courier and a scout for the organization. The court rejected his assertion that he had no idea why his handlers asked him to monitor the arrival times of flights from Israel and to track locations of Israeli tourists in Cyprus. Mr. Yaacoub admitted in court last month that he was a member of Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group, and that he was trained in the use of weapons and dispatched around Europe on missions as a courier and scout for the organization. The court rejected his assertion that he had no idea why his handlers had asked him to monitor the arrival times of flights from Israel and to track locations of Israeli tourists in Cyprus.
The conviction is likely to give further impetus to efforts to have the group designated a terrorist organization by the European Union. Experts say that in the legalistic, bureaucratic world of Brussels, a court conviction holds significantly more weight than a declaration by a government or an intelligence report.The conviction is likely to give further impetus to efforts to have the group designated a terrorist organization by the European Union. Experts say that in the legalistic, bureaucratic world of Brussels, a court conviction holds significantly more weight than a declaration by a government or an intelligence report.
Israel and the United States have been pressing hard for European allies to list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The fact that Mr. Yaacoub is a European citizen and that he acknowledged performing clandestine work in France and the Netherlands as well as Cyprus only raises the pressure further.Israel and the United States have been pressing hard for European allies to list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The fact that Mr. Yaacoub is a European citizen and that he acknowledged performing clandestine work in France and the Netherlands as well as Cyprus only raises the pressure further.
But that decision is foremost a political one and requires the unanimous agreement of all 27 European Union states. France in particular has resisted designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, with officials saying it is necessary to keep lines of communication open with the group, which is also a major force in politics and social services in Lebanon. But that decision is foremost a political one, and it requires the unanimous agreement of all 27 European Union states. France in particular has resisted designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, with officials saying it is necessary to keep lines of communication open with the group, which is also a major force in politics and social services in Lebanon.
Mr. Yaacoub was arrested in July 2012 in the port city of Limassol. During interrogation by the police he first insisted that he was a trader traveling in Cyprus for business. After days of questioning he said that was a cover story and that he was performing surveillance for Hezbollah. Mr. Yaacoub was arrested in July 2012 in the port city of Limassol. During interrogation by the police, he first insisted that he was a trader traveling in Cyprus for business. After days of questioning he said that that was a cover story and that he was performing surveillance for Hezbollah.
His defense lawyer argued that he had changed his story because he was frightened and intimidated by the police and that details in his sworn statements had been fabricated. The court ruled that his statements to police were accurate. His defense lawyer argued that he had changed his story because he was frightened and intimidated by the police and that details in his sworn statements had been fabricated. The court ruled that his statements to the police were accurate.

 Andreas Riris contributed reporting from Limassol, Cyprus

 Andreas Riris contributed reporting from Limassol, Cyprus.