First jihadist Islamic State of sentenced in Germany

A german court has sentenced friday for the first time a jihadist who had joined the ranks of the Islamic State in Syria. It is hardly 20 years old.
This is a first in Germany. A court in Frankfurt, Germany, on friday sentenced to three years and nine months in prison Kreshnik Berisha, a young man of 20, went to Syria to strengthen the ranks of the organization Islamic State (IS). He became the first to be sentenced jihadist in Germany for "belonging to a foreign terrorist organization." From july to december 2013 for about 6 months, Kreshnik joined Syria and IS to take part in battles against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. In a statement, the court said that the young man took part in the fighting, mostly around the city of Hama, in the center of the country, but not in the front line. The young man was arrested on his return from Syria, december 12, 2013, at Frankfurt International Airport.
If he risked up to 10 years in prison at the first hearing, the jihadist decided to accept the agreement of the court. Indeed, judges have proposed a sentence of 3 years and three months and 4 years, in exchange for recognition of his guilt. For comparison, in France, Flavien Moreau, the first jihadist to be tried by a court, was sentenced to 7 years in prison. In making his decision, the court president wished to recall that the accused had joined a "dangerous" organization. But by making his confession, he proved his "cooperative attitude" and his "voluntary departure" of IS. During the trial, the young man with a full physical admitted having joined the terrorist organization because he felt "a duty to speak out against oppression and tyranny." Adding : "I wanted to die a martyr, it was my wish. But I did not happen". He also explained that he killed no one throughout his journey.
Last friday, the prosecution had asked for the maximum sentence against the confessions of the young man, 4 years and three months. The prosecutor Dieter Killmer expressed "doubts" about the strength of the "repentance" of Kreshnik. Conversely, counsel for the accused, Mutlu Günal, thinks that this penalty may be appropriate for his client. "He's not dangerous. he's a nice guy, friendly, shy is not yet an adult".
According to the German Minister of the Interior, Thomas de Maizière, about 550 germans went to fight in the ranks of the IS in Syria and Iraq. 60 have already died. In France, according to the latest figures, some 1,132 frenchs are involved in jihadist networks. 376 frenchs would be present in Syria and Iraq.