August 25, 2017 - 6:47 AM
COPENHAGEN - A Swedish court has placed a Syrian asylum-seeker suspected of committing war crimes in Syria in pre-trial detention.
The court south of Stockholm jailed 33-year-old Mohammad Abdullah for two weeks Friday and said formal charges should be filed before Sept. 7.
The case relates to crimes allegedly committed in January 2014. Prosecutor Henrik Attorp said that Abdullah, as a fighter with Syrian government forces against the Islamic State group, posed in front of dead or wounded combatants knowing that it was intended as propaganda. He said other photos could emerge, including one of a severed head.
Attorp told Swedish radio Friday Abdullah had violated the victims' "personal dignity" under international law. Abdullah said he was ordered to pose.
Abdullah arrived in Sweden 2015 as an asylum-seeker, according to court documents.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017