Former PP Restaurant Owner's Terrorism Conviction Upheld

CEOCambodiaNews · Post by **CEOCambodiaNews** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 6:54 am

Cambodia's apex court upholds terrorism convictions for two Bangladeshi nationals and one Nepalese national

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Cambodia upheld the verdict of a lower court to sentence 2 Bangladeshis and 1 Nepalese national (members of terror outfit Al Qaeda) to 8 years in prison for a terrorist plot.

"The Supreme Court decides to uphold the decision of the Appeal Court against the 3 men on charges of having planned a terrorist plot against 3 foreign embassies in Phnom Penh in April 2010," said a verdict pronounced by Supreme Court's judge Khim Ponn.

The 3 men are Bangladeshi national Rafiqul Eslami, 46, a former owner of a restaurant in Phnom Penh, Miah Muhammed Huymayan Kabir, 66, also from Bangladesh, and a Nepalese man D P Paudel, 48.

In 2011, they were convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on charges stemming from their signatures on a letter that threatened to attack American, Australian and British embassies in Phnom Penh in April, 2010. They had identified themselves in the letter as members of the al-Qaida terrorist organization.

In April 2012, the Appeal Court upheld the terrorism convictions against the three.

YouTube · Post by **General Mackevili** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 5:35 pm

Anyone know which restaurant he used to own?

And this is a very sketchy case. According to the Phnom Penh Post, the national police spokesman told a reporter that after a month long investigation into the case they found it to be a setup by someone who wasn't happy to see their business success. Then later the police chief denied ever saying that, from 2012:

Eslami has claimed that the letter was written by people who were attempting to extort money from him in a business deal.

At least at one time, the police seemingly agreed.

“During our month-long investigation, we realised that the person who wrote the anonymous letter to the embassies accusing the four men of terrorism was actually just jealous that their restaurants were doing good business,” national police spokesman Kirt Chantharith told the Post in 2010.

When contacted yesterday, however, Chantharith said that he remembered the case, but “never said that”

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/a ... onvictions

And another random quote which makes it sound like they needed to prove themselves innocent as opposed to the prosecutor having to prove them guilty:

"Despite their denial, they don't have enough evidence to substantiate their denial," Sin Visal said.

http://english.cntv.cn/20110216/108674.shtml

MekongMouse · Post by **MekongMouse** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:15 pm

In 2011, they were convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on charges stemming from their signatures on a letter that threatened to attack American, Australian and British embassies in Phnom Penh in April, 2010. They had identified themselves in the letter as members of the al-Qaida terrorist organization.

Probably not the smartest idea.

Soi Dog · Post by **Soi Dog** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:31 pm

General Mackevili wrote:Anyone know which restaurant he used to own?

I think it was called "The Jihad Cafe and Wine Bar". They were famous for their Martyr's Special.

MekongMouse · Post by **MekongMouse** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:35 pm

Soi Dog wrote:
General Mackevili wrote:Anyone know which restaurant he used to own?
I think it was called "The Jihad Cafe and Wine Bar". They were famous for their Martyr's Special.

I've always enjoyed their molotov cocktails.