June 01, 2016 - 6:45 AM
THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The International Criminal Court says it hopes to complete the trial of an Islamic radical accused of involvement in the destruction of historic mausoleums in the Malian desert city of Timbuktu in just a week because the suspect plans to plead guilty.
The court announced Wednesday that the trial of Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi will start Aug. 22 and likely only take a matter of days because he has said he wants to enter a guilty plea.
Al Mahdi, who is accused of being part of a radical Islamic occupying force that destroyed most of Timbuktu's World Heritage-listed mausoleums in 2012, would be the first suspect to enter a guilty plea at the Hague-based court.
News from © The Associated Press, 2016