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Iraqi court hands down 16 death sentences

BAGHDAD, June 21 (KUNA) -- The Iraqi Central Criminal Court on Thursday handed down 16 death sentences including two of them against non-Iraqi Arabs, a government statement said.
The two non-Iraqis sentenced to death included 23-year-old Ali Ahmad Abdel-Wahed, a Libyan, and 28-year-old Fawaz Mekhlef Al-Qaedi, a Saudi, the statement said.
"The two were arrested in the Anbar province in February 2007 for involvement in entering Iraq illegally and for involvement in terrorist activities.
Six Iraqis were also sentenced to death for involvement in kidnapping and torturing an Iraqi man and his son and killing the man's nephew.
The six held the man and his son near the Baghdad suburb of Azamiya after demanding a ransom of USD 100,000 for their release.
Three other Iraqis received death sentences for kidnapping and torturing an Iraqi man in the Western Anbar province.
Four others were sentenced to death for taking part in terrorist activities including torturing and trying to kill an Iraqi doctor.
The same court sentenced to death 29-year-old Mohammad Ali Khorshid, the leader of the Ansar Al-Sunna group in Baaqouba. He led a group of 50 insurgents and was involved in several bomb attacks against the authorities. (end) aao.eh KUNA 211857 Jun 07NNNN