Sweden to charge jihadi over Jordanian pilot burned to death
Representative Image
Prosecutors in Sweden on Thursday said they planned to indict a convicted Swedish man for his suspected role in the 2014 capture and execution of a Jordanian pilot by the "
Islamic State
" (IS) militant group in Syria.
Prosecutors allege the suspect helped force the pilot into a metal cage ahead of one of the jihadist group's most infamous murders.
What do we know about the case?
The 32-year-old Swedish citizen Osama K., originally from the city of Malmo, is suspected of helping in the execution of a captured Jordanian pilot while fighting for IS.
Prosecutors said the suspect is to be charged with "aggravated war crimes and terrorist crimes committed in Syria."
"The investigation has shown that the man, armed and masked, together with others forced the pilot into a metal cage," prosecutors said. "The cage was subsequently set on fire by one of the co-perpetrators, and the pilot died as a consequence of the fire."
The Royal Jordanian Air Force pilot had been captured by the Islamic State after his jet was downed near Raqqa — the de facto capital of IS's self-declared "caliphate" — on December 24, 2014.
Images of the death were disseminated online by the jihadist group.
Involvement in Paris, Brussels attacks
K. joined ISIS in Syria in 2014 and later returned to Europe, prosecutors said. In 2022, he was sentenced in France to 30 years in prison for complicity in the November 2015 Paris attacks that left 130 dead.
In 2023, he was given a life sentence in Belgium for his role in the 2016 Brussels attacks that killed 32 people.
France agreed on March 12 to hand over K. to Sweden for nine months to allow for investigation and trial. He will be returned to France afterward to continue serving his sentence.
Proceedings are scheduled to begin on June 4 at Stockholm District Court.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Devil in the Ozarks' on Loose: Killer ex-cop has a dangerous edge as he knows exactly how police think
Police set up checkpoints looking for escaped prisoner Grant Hardin (Pic credit: AP) A massive manhunt is underway for a former Arkansas police chief who escaped from prison Sunday, and experts warn the fugitive's law enforcement background could give him a dangerous edge. Grant Hardin, 56, once the police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, vanished from the North Central Unit, a medium-security prison in Calico Rock, less than 30 minutes before prison officials noticed he was gone. The convicted murderer and rapist, known locally as the "Devil in the Ozarks," is considered armed and extremely dangerous. "He has a working knowledge of law enforcement procedures, patrol routines and how search operations are typically structured," said Eric Brown, a 24-year US army special forces veteran and CEO of Imperio Consulting. "That gives him an initial edge. He knows how law enforcement thinks." 'Think like a fugitive' Authorities have ramped up surveillance and search efforts across Stone County, just east of the Ozark Mountains. Law enforcement teams are deploying drones, thermal imaging, and K-9 units to track Hardin across the rugged terrain. "Officials are watching for stolen vehicles, break-ins, supply thefts, and unusual chatter," Brown said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Soluções de energia de confiança para Data Centers de IA Siemens Energy Read More Undo "The key is pattern disruption." Photos shared by the Stone County sheriff's office show Hardin walking through a sally port wearing a prison-style uniform, though officials said it was not standard issue. The Arkansas department of corrections has not yet revealed how Hardin bypassed security. Dr Angelo Brown, a criminology professor at Arkansas State University, said Hardin's prior role as a police chief could also mean he still has "ties to law enforcement officials who may help him" and is unlikely to make basic errors like using credit cards or contacting family. FBI offers $20,000 reward The FBI has joined the search, offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to Hardin's capture. Authorities say he has connections in Garfield, Eureka Springs, Holiday Island, and Huntsville, and believe he may still be in the general area, for now. "All it takes is one vehicle for him to travel a great distance," said ADC communications director Rand Champion during a press conference Wednesday. "But as of now, we believe he's still close by." Champion warned the public to treat Hardin as "a very dangerous individual," noting there's a real risk he could commit additional crimes while on the run. Hardin's escape came just two days after 10 inmates broke out of a correctional facility in New Orleans, an event that has intensified scrutiny on prison security systems across the South. Authorities describe Hardin as a 6-foot white male, approximately 259 pounds. Anyone with information is urged to call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. "This is a man with a violent history and the skills to vanish," said Brown. "The clock is ticking — and he's not the kind of man you want free for long."
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Every text watched, every word changed: Inside Kim Jong Un's phone surveillance network
A mobile phone smuggled out of North Korea has revealed alarming new details about the country's surveillance tactics. According to a BBC investigation, smartphones in the country are programmed to automatically censor content, block South Korean language, and spy on their users in real time—without their knowledge. The device, once outside the regime's control, provides a rare look into how far Pyongyang goes to control information and suppress foreign influence. Autocorrect with an agenda The censorship system is built directly into North Korean smartphones. The phone examined by the BBC showed that common South Korean terms are automatically corrected to fit the regime's ideology. For instance, typing 'South Korea' is immediately changed to 'Puppet State'—a phrase the state uses to characterise Seoul as an American-controlled outpost. Another example is the word 'Oppa', widely used in South Korea to refer to older male friends or boyfriends. On a North Korean phone, the word is forcibly replaced with 'Comrade'. A message on the keyboard warns: 'This word can only be used to refer to siblings.' Silent surveillance: Screenshots every five minutes Surveillance goes beyond word filters. The phone automatically captures a screenshot every five minutes. These images are stored in a hidden folder not visible or accessible to users. Only state officials can retrieve them, allowing continuous monitoring of a user's activities—apps opened, messages typed, and what content is consumed. This covert logging system enables authorities to build a detailed digital profile of individuals without their consent. Live Events No room for modifications North Korea's approach to communication technology is tightly locked down. All devices—be it radios, televisions, or smartphones—are pre-configured to receive only government-approved content. Tampering with these settings or trying to access foreign media is classified as a serious criminal offence. Phones are sealed to prevent hardware changes. The internet is entirely off-limits to the general population. The result is a tightly policed digital environment designed to keep citizens ideologically aligned with the regime. Crackdown intensifies under Kim Jong Un According to a human rights report by South Korea's Unification Ministry, the regime's censorship efforts have only grown stronger under Kim Jong Un. The report, based on testimonies from 649 defectors, details how officials routinely inspect phones for slang, contact names, or media suggesting exposure to foreign—especially South Korean—culture. K-pop and Korean dramas are entirely banned. Cultural imports from the South are seen as subversive. One case cited in the report is particularly stark: a 22-year-old man was reportedly executed in public for listening to and sharing South Korean music and films. The government's aim is clear—complete insulation from external cultural influences. North Korea's censorship model is extreme even by authoritarian standards. By embedding surveillance and propaganda tools directly into everyday devices, the regime doesn't just limit what people see—it controls how they think and behave. As the BBC report shows, the phone is not merely a communication tool in North Korea—it is an instrument of control. Every typed word, every action, is tracked. For North Koreans, privacy does not exist.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Leaked North Korean phone shows regime's extreme censorship of foreign media
Kim Jong Un, left A smuggled mobile phone from North Korea has revealed new details about the country's strict censorship system, which blocks nearly all access to foreign content, especially anything related to South Korea. According to a BBC report, North Korean smartphones automatically censor language and monitor user activity. Common South Korean words are altered or corrected, and the phone takes screenshots every five minutes without the user's knowledge. These images are saved in a hidden folder only accessible to authorities, allowing them to closely track users' behavior. For example, the popular South Korean word 'Oppa,' often used to refer to boyfriends or older male figures, is automatically corrected to 'Comrade.' A warning under the keyboard tells users the word can only be used to refer to actual siblings. Similarly, typing 'South Korea' on a North Korean phone results in an automatic correction to 'Puppet State' —a term used by the regime to portray South Korea as being controlled by the United States. Mobile phones, radios, and other communication tools in North Korea are tightly controlled. Devices are locked to only receive state propaganda and are sealed to prevent any modifications. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Create Your Store Website & Sell Online with Shopify Shopify Shop Now Undo Any attempt to access external information is treated as a criminal act. The general population has no access to the global internet. The regime's crackdown on foreign influence, especially from South Korea, has reportedly intensified under Kim Jong Un. A report citing testimonies from 649 North Korean defectors revealed that authorities routinely inspect phones to suppress 'western influence' and other signs of exposure to South Korean culture. K-pop and K-dramas are strictly banned in the country. In one case, a 22-year-old man was reportedly executed in public for listening to and sharing South Korean music and films, according to a human rights report by South Korea's unification ministry.
