In the Netherlands, a Tajik national was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for membership in ISIS

A citizen of Tajikistan has been sentenced to 5.5 years in prison in the Netherlands for membership and recruitment in the ranks of ISIS-Khorasan, as well as for suspected preparation of terrorist attacks.

A 31-year-old man from Tajikistan was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for recruiting members of the terrorist group “Islamic State” (ISIS).

According to Dutch media, Tajik national Abdusamad A. attempted to recruit people into the ranks of “ISIS-Khorasan” in several countries, including the Netherlands, presumably with the aim of preparing terrorist attacks.

A court in the Dutch city of Rotterdam stated that “the man poses a serious threat to society and attempted to raise as much money as possible for the terrorists.”

The public prosecution service (Openbaar Ministerie, OM) sought an eight-year sentence for him. According to the prosecution, the accused, Abdusamad A., was linked to “ISIS-Khorasan” (ISKP) — the Afghan branch of the terrorist group “Islamic State.”

Abdusamad A. was arrested in Eindhoven in July 2023 after Dutch intelligence (AIVD) suspected him of belonging to ISIS and preparing terrorist attacks. Although no specific attack plans were identified, the prosecution deemed the threat serious enough to warrant intervention.

According to the court, Abdusamad A. maintained contacts with like-minded individuals in various countries and actively attempted to recruit others.

“His arrival in the Netherlands should also be viewed in this context. The defendant poses a serious danger to Dutch society,” the court stated.

As part of a covert police operation, while speaking with an undercover agent, Abdusamad A. allegedly confirmed his allegiance to ISIS. In court, he claimed he did this insincerely.

“I might have said that. But only to make an impression. It seemed to me that they liked this organization. I have no connection to them,” he stated in court.

The court established that Abdusamad A. acted as part of a broader network. Dutch police collaborated with German authorities in the investigation, as Abdusamad A. had contacts in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. In 2023, seven suspects were arrested in this region of Germany for preparing an attack.

The prosecution also reported that in 2016, Abdusamad A. attempted to join ISIS in Syria but was detained by Turkish authorities and deported to Ukraine, where he allegedly joined an ISIS cell.

Abdusamad A.’s ex-wife was arrested alongside him in 2023 but was acquitted last year. The couple had been living in the Netherlands since 2022. They are now divorced.

Abdusamad A.’s lawyer argued that the evidence is too weak.

“This extensive investigation has yielded very little concrete information. This is not enough to classify him as a member of a terrorist organization,” he stated.