Islamic State leader in Turkey sentenced to twelve years in jail

An Istanbul court on Monday sentenced a man accused of being the Turkey leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) to 12 years and six months in jail on charges of “establishing and leading an armed terror group,’’ Diken news site reported.

The court’s sentencing of Halis Bayancuk, also known by the code name Abu Hanzala, follows an identical sentencing over the same charges by a court in the northwestern province of Sakarya in September.

Multiple sentences handed down to Bayancuk on the similar charges prompted the Supreme Court of Appeals to rule for a merger of the cases against him.

Bayancuk denies the charge of serving as ISIS’ Turkey commander and has been in prison for almost four years on charges of ISIS membership. A court ruled for his release on April 9, but he was rearrested hours later following an objection by a prosecutor.

Bayancuk was detained least a half-dozen times since 2009, only to be freed because of a lack of evidence or problems involving the charges against him.

Source: Ahval News