Authorities in Germany and Sweden have reported that at least seven people were detained on Wednesday for allegedly committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria between 2012 and 2014. The arrests were made during a joint operation of the European Union judicial cooperation agency Eurojust, Europol, the EU police agency, as well as several unnamed countries across Europe leading to kidnaping of four suspects in Germany and three others in Sweden.
In Germany, the Federal Prosecutor said that “the apprehended are believed to be strongly suspected of killing and attempting to kill civilians.” Furthermore, some of those arrested are also suspected of torturing their victims.
Jihad A., Mahmoud A., Sameer S., Wael S. were among those who had been part of Free Palestine Movement since early 2011-an armed militia based in Syria. There was no way for German prosecutors to mention their last names because it is against privacy regulations. While Sweden did not disclose the names of its three detainees.
At this time, the group controlled most part of al-Yarmouk which is a predominantly Palestinian district within Damascus city under the authority of regime according to Germany’s federal prosecutor. This area had remained blocked off by Syrian regime since July 2013 resulting into scarcity of foodstuffs, water supply services and medical equipments.
Among other allegations levelled against them, all these individuals reportedly took part in that use violent crackdown on peaceful anti-government protest within Al Yarmouk on July 13th 2012 aimed at shooting civilians protesting unarmed.
According to the German statement six people died while others sustained serious injuries. Some abused certain persons from Al Yarmouk between mid-2012 and 2014.
A man was reportedly handed over to Syrian Military Intelligence Service where he was later imprisoned and tortured for unspecified period whereas a woman was threatened with rape if she refused paying her family jewels for her minor son’s release.
Three out four of these people – Jihad A., Sameer S. and Wael S.- are Palestinian Syrians who do not have any stated citizenship, while Mazhar J. is a Syrian citizen.
They were apprehended in Berlin, in Frankenthal, and near Boizenburg (southwest Germany) or northeast Germany respectively. The home of another suspect, whose name was not given and who was not arrested, was searched in the western city of Essen.
Their detention will be decided at noon on Saturday before their arraignment can take place,” said the prosecution authority. The pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday according to the prosecutor’s statement.” Even so, Swedish Prosecution Authority has given no information about them yet. But it must be decided by noon on Saturday whether they should be detained or released.
