Latest news with #JordanianPilot
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Brother of Jordanian pilot burnt alive in a cage in notorious ISIS execution reveals he begged air force to bomb house where he was being held 'to spare him an atrocious death'
The brother of a Jordanian pilot burned alive in Syria by the Islamic State has revealed that he pleaded for the air force to bomb the house where his captive sibling was being held to spare him from a horrific death at the hands of the terror group. The brutal killing took place sometime in late 2014 or early 2015 and sparked outrage internationally. Osama Krayem, a 32-year-old Swede already serving long prison sentences for his role in the Paris and Brussels attacks in 2015 and 2016, is on trial in Stockholm suspected of war crimes and terrorist crimes for his role in the pilot's killing. On December 24, 2014, an aircraft belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force crashed in Syria. The pilot, Maaz al-Kassasbeh, was captured the same day by ISIS fighters near the central city of Raqqa and was burned alive in a cage sometime before February 3, 2015, when a video of the gruesome killing was published, according to the prosecution. On Wednesday, Jawdat al-Kassasbeh, the brother of the pilot told the Stockholm district court of the physical and psychological trauma the family has suffered since the killing. He said he learned of his brother's capture through a relative who worked at Jordan's foreign ministry and immediately went to the air force headquarters. 'There, I see that the head of the air force and the operations teams are having a meeting on the subject... There were large screens showing images of Syria,' he testified. 'He told me: 'I think he's in this house',' he said. 'Psychologically, I was not doing well at that moment. So I told the head of the air force that ... I thought (ISIS fighters) would kill him in a horrible way. I asked if it would be possible to bomb the house so he could be spared an atrocious death,' he added. The Swedish investigation describes the al-Kassasbeh family as having close ties to Jordan's royal family and military. Jawdat al-Kassasbeh said he later learned of his brother's death on television. 'It was a shock. I watched the whole video but in bits. I couldn't watch the entire video until 2021,' he said. When his mother learned of the execution, 'she had to be hospitalised immediately'. His eldest sister 'developed diabetes', while their father 'contracted chronic illnesses, hypertension and is in poor psychological condition, he cries regularly,' al-Kassasbeh said. Jihadist Krayem could be the first person to be convicted in connection with the heinous killing of Maaz al-Kassasbeh. Prosecutors have said the killing was considered 'one of the most brutal murders committed by [ISIS] during the war in Syria'. The killing of the pilot violates the laws of war, and the killing and video constitute terrorist activities, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement. Under Swedish legislation, courts can try people for crimes against international law committed abroad. The ISIS militant group once imposed a reign of terror over millions of people in Syria and Iraq, controlling swathes of the countries between 2014 and 2017 before it was defeated in its last bastions in 2019. It is responsible for some of Europe's worst terror atrocities in recent years. Krayem, who is from Malmo in southern Sweden, joined ISIS in Syria in 2014 before returning to Europe. In June 2022, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison in France for assisting in the planning of the 2015 Paris attacks, in which 130 people died. The following year, he was given a life sentence in Belgium for participating in the bombings on March 22, 2016, at Brussels' main airport and on the metro system, which killed 32 people. Prior to his arrest on April 8, 2016, he was one of Europe's most wanted fugitives, and considered to be a hardened ISIS operative.
Al Jazeera
04-06-2025
- General
- Al Jazeera
Sweden tries ISIL member over burning death of Jordanian pilot in 2015
A convicted Swedish member of ISIL has gone on trial in Stockholm, accused of war crimes for his role in the horrific 2015 killing of a captured Jordanian pilot, who was burned alive in Syria. 'Osama Krayem has, together and in agreement with other perpetrators belonging to IS [ISIL], killed Maaz al-Kassasbeh,' prosecutor Reena Devgun told the district court on Wednesday. 'Osama Krayem, in uniform and armed, guarded and led the victim Moaz al-Kassasbeh to a metal cage, where the latter was then locked up. One of the co-perpetrators then set fire to Moaz al-Kassasbeh, who had no possibility to defend himself or call for help,' Devgun said. The case is considered unique as the other ISIL members involved in the brutal killing, which sparked international outrage at the time, are presumed dead, Swedish prosecutor Henrik Olin told the AFP news agency. Krayem, 32, wearing a dark blue shirt and with a thick beard and long, loose dark hair, had his back to the handful of journalists and spectators who followed Wednesday's proceedings behind a glass wall in the high security courtroom in Stockholm's district court. He appeared calm as the prosecution laid out the charges, which could result in a life sentence if Krayem is convicted. In the 22-minute video of the killing, the victim is seen walking past several masked ISIL fighters, including Krayem, according to prosecutors. The pilot, who was 26 years old, is then seen being locked in the cage and praying as he is set on fire. Prosecutors have been unable to determine the exact date of the murder, but the investigation has identified the location. The defendant's lawyer, Petra Eklund, told AFP before the start of the trial that her client admitted to being present at the scene, but disputed the prosecution's version. 'He denies the acts for which he is prosecuted,' she said. 'He acknowledges having been present at that place during the event, but claims not to have acted in the manner described by the prosecutors in the account of the facts,' she added. Krayem was identified thanks to a scar on the suspect's eyebrow, visible in the video and spotted by Belgian police, which led to the investigation being opened, said Devgun when the charges were announced last week. The pilot's father, Safi al-Kassasbeh, told AFP on Wednesday the family hoped Krayem would 'receive the harshest penalty according to the magnitude of the crime'. 'This is what we expect from a respected and fair law,' he said. Krayem is already serving long prison sentences for his role in the Paris and Brussels attacks in 2015 and 2016, 30 years and life respectively. He now faces charges of 'serious war crimes and terrorist crimes' for his alleged participation in al-Kassasbeh's killing. Al-Kassasbeh's killing shocked Jordan, which at the time was participating in the US-led coalition's strikes against ISIL positions in Syria – the reason ISIL gave for killing the Syrian pilot. Jordan had declared a period of mourning following the pilot's death. On December 24, 2014, an aircraft belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force crashed in Syria. The pilot was captured the same day by ISIL fighters situated near the central city of Raqqa and burned alive in a cage sometime before February 3, 2015, when a gruesome video emerged, according to the prosecution. ISIL, which at the time controlled large chunks of Syria and Iraq, had been demanding the release of Sajida al-Rishawi – a woman held by Jordanian authorities since 2005 – in exchange for al-Kassasbeh's life. Rishawi was sentenced to death 'for conspiracy to carry out terror acts' after a triple bomb attack on the Radisson SAS hotel in the capital Amman. The propaganda video, in which ISIL also called for the killing of other Jordanian pilots, was one of the earliest videos released by the group. Krayem has been temporarily handed over to Sweden for the trial, which is scheduled to last until June 26.
The National
04-06-2025
- General
- The National
Sweden tries ISIS member over Jordanian pilot burned to death in Syria
A convicted Swedish extremist went on trial in Stockholm on Wednesday accused of war crimes for his role in the 2014 killing of a Jordanian pilot who was burnt alive in Syria. The case is considered unique as the others involved in the brutal killing, which sparked international outrage at the time, are presumed dead, the Swedish prosecutor Henrik Olin said as the trial began. Osama Krayem, a 32-year-old Swede, is already serving long prison sentences for his roles in the Paris and Brussels attacks in 2015 and 2016. He now faces charges of "serious war crimes and terrorist crimes" for his alleged participation in the killing of the Jordanian pilot. On December 24, 2014, an aircraft belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force crashed in Syria. Jordan was participating in the US-led coalition's strikes against ISIS positions in Syria. The pilot was captured the same day by fighters from the ISIS group near the central city of Raqqa and he was burnt alive in a cage sometime before February 3, 2015, when a video of the gruesome killing was published, according to the prosecution. The propaganda video was one of the first such videos released by ISIS. "Osama Krayem, together and in agreement with other perpetrators belonging to ISIS, killed Muath Al Kasasbeh," the prosecutor Reena Devgun told the court on Wednesday. "Osama Krayem, in uniform and armed, guarded and led the victim Muath Al Kasasbeh to a metal cage, where the latter was then locked up. One of the co-perpetrators then set fire to Muath Al Kasasbeh, who had no possibility to defend himself or call for help," Mr Devgun said. Mr Krayem, wearing a dark blue shirt and with a thick beard and long, loose dark hair, had his back to the handful of spectators who followed Wednesday's proceedings behind a glass wall in the high-security courtroom in Stockholm's district court. He appeared calm as the prosecution laid out the charges, which could result in a life sentence if he is convicted. In the 22-minute video of the killing, the victim is seen walking past several masked IS fighters, including Mr Krayem, according to prosecutors. The pilot is then seen being locked in the cage and praying as he is set on fire. Prosecutors have been unable to determine the exact date of the murder but the investigation has identified the location. It was thanks to a scar on the suspect's eyebrow, visible in the video and spotted by Belgian police, that Mr Krayem was identified and the investigation was opened, Mr Devgun said when the charges were announced last week. Other evidence in the case includes conversations on social media, including one in which Mr Krayem asks a person if he has seen a new video "where a man gets fried", according to the investigation, a copy of which has been viewed by AFP. The defendant's lawyer, Petra Eklund, told AFP before the start of the trial that her client admitted to being present at the scene but disputed the prosecution's version. "He denies the acts for which he is prosecuted," she said. Mr Krayem, who is from Malmo in southern Sweden, joined ISIS in Syria in 2014 before returning to Europe in September 2015. He was arrested in Belgium in April 2016. In June 2022, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison in France for helping plan the November 2015 Paris attacks in which 130 people were killed. The following year, he was given a life sentence in Belgium for participating in the March 2016 bombings at the main airport in Brussels and on the metro system, in which 32 people were killed. Mr Krayem has been temporarily handed over to Sweden for the Stockholm trial, which is scheduled to last until June 26.
Arab News
04-06-2025
- General
- Arab News
Sweden tries militant over Jordanian pilot burned to death by Daesh
'Osama Krayem has, together and in agreement with other perpetrators belonging to Daesh, killed Maaz Al-Kassasbeh,' prosecutor Reena Devgun told the courtIn the 22-minute video of the killing, the victim is seen walking past several masked Daesh fighters, including Krayem, according to prosecutorsSTOCKHOLM: A convicted Swedish militant went on trial in Stockholm on Wednesday accused of war crimes for his role in the 2014 killing of a Jordanian pilot who was burned alive in case is considered unique as the other militants involved in the brutal killing, which sparked international outrage at the time, are presumed dead, Swedish prosecutor Henrik Olin told Krayem, a 32-year-old Swede, is already serving long prison sentences for his role in the Paris and Brussels attacks in 2015 and now faces charges of 'serious war crimes and terrorist crimes' for his alleged participation in the killing of the Jordanian December 24, 2014, an aircraft belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force crashed in pilot was captured the same day by fighters from the Daesh group near the central city of Raqqa and he was burned alive in a cage sometime before February 3, 2015, when a video of the gruesome killing was published, according to the slickly-produced propaganda video was one of the first such videos released by killing shocked Jordan, which was participating in the US-led coalition's strikes against Daesh positions in Syria.'Osama Krayem has, together and in agreement with other perpetrators belonging to Daesh, killed Maaz Al-Kassasbeh,' prosecutor Reena Devgun told the court on Wednesday.'Osama Krayem, in uniform and armed, guarded and led the victim Maaz Al-Kassasbeh to a metal cage, where the latter was then locked up. One of the co-perpetrators then set fire to Maaz Al-Kassasbeh, who had no possibility to defend himself or call for help,' Devgun wearing a dark blue shirt and with a thick beard and long, loose dark hair, had his back to the handful of journalists and spectators who followed Wednesday's proceedings behind a glass wall in the high security courtroom in Stockholm's district appeared calm as the prosecution laid out the charges, which could result in a life sentence if Krayem is the 22-minute video of the killing, the victim is seen walking past several masked Daesh fighters, including Krayem, according to pilot is then seen being locked in the cage and praying as he is set on have been unable to determine the exact date of the murder but the investigation has identified the pilot's father, Safi Al-Kassasbeh, told AFP on Wednesday the family hoped Krayem would 'receive the harshest penalty according to the magnitude of the crime.''This is what we expect from a respected and fair law,' he was thanks to a scar on the suspect's eyebrow, visible in the video and spotted by Belgian police, that Krayem was identified and the investigation was opened, Devgun said when the charges were announced last evidence in the case includes conversations on social media, including one where Krayem asks a person if he has seen a new video 'where a man gets fried,' according to the investigation, a copy of which has been viewed by AFP.'I'm in the video,' Krayem said, pointing out the moment when the camera zooms in on his other person replies: 'Hahaha, yes, I saw the eyebrow.'The defendant's lawyer, Petra Eklund, told AFP before the start of the trial that her client admitted to being present at the scene but disputed the prosecution's version.'He denies the acts for which he is prosecuted,' she said.'He acknowledges having been present at that place during the event, but claims not to have acted in the manner described by the prosecutors in the account of the facts,' she who is from Malmo in southern Sweden, joined the Daesh group in Syria in 2014 before returning to Europe in September was arrested in Belgium in April June 2022, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison in France for helping plan the November 2015 Paris attacks in which 130 people were following year, he was given a life sentence in Belgium for participating in the March 2016 bombings at Brussels' main airport and on the metro system, in which 32 people were has been temporarily handed over to Sweden for the Stockholm trial, which is scheduled to last until June 26.
Free Malaysia Today
29-05-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Sweden charges extremist over Jordanian pilot burned to death
Osama Krayem is already serving a 30-year sentence for involvement in the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris. (AFP pic) STOCKHOLM : Prosecutors have charged a Swedish extremist over the 2014 killing of a Jordanian pilot, who was burned to death in a cage in Syria after being captured by the Islamic State (IS) group. Osama Krayem, 32, was charged with 'participating in the brutal execution of a pilot' near the city of Raqqa, prosecutor Reena Devgun told a press conference. Krayem, who is already serving a 30-year sentence for involvement in the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, was charged with 'serious war crimes and terrorist crimes'. According to prosecutors, who had announced they intended to charge Krayem last week, an aircraft belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force crashed in Syria on Dec 24, 2014. The pilot was captured by IS fighters the same day near the central city of Raqqa, and killed sometime before Feb 3, 2015. The execution was filmed and a 22-minute video accompanied by a specially composed religious chant was published. In the video, the victim is seen walking past several masked IS fighters, including Krayem, according to prosecutors. The pilot is then locked in a cage that is set on fire, leading to his death, Henrik Olin, the other prosecutor in charge of the case, told reporters. 'This bestial murder, in which a prisoner was burned alive in a cage, was staged in a carefully produced video that was broadcast around the world. Its publication marked an unprecedented escalation in the Islamic State group's violent propaganda,' Olin said. Prosecutors have been unable to determine the exact day of the murder, but the investigation has identified the location where it took place. 'Obligation' to prosecute The defendant's lawyer, Petra Eklund, told AFP that her client admitted to being present at the scene but disputed the prosecution's version. 'He denies the acts for which he is prosecuted,' she said. 'He acknowledges having been present at that place during the event but claims not to have acted in the manner described by the prosecutors in the account of the facts.' Krayem, who is from Malmo in southern Sweden, joined the IS group in Syria in 2014 before returning to Europe. In June 2022, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison in France for helping plan the November 2015 Paris attacks in which 130 people were killed. The following year, he was given a life sentence in Belgium for participating in the bombings on March 22, 2016, at Brussels' main airport and on the metro system, which killed 32 people. 'Even though this is a person that's already sentenced and is serving very long prison sentences in other countries, we will still charge him and we have an international obligation to do so,' Devgun told AFP. Krayem has been 'temporarily handed over to Sweden to participate in the trial', which is scheduled to begin on June 4, according to the Swedish prosecution authority. 'It is painful for my parents to be confronted with this event again, but we are grateful that the Swedish authorities want to give us justice,' Jawdat al-Kasasbeh, the pilot's brother, told broadcaster Sveriges Radio.
