Ethnic Turk Gets Suspended Sentence for Radical Islam in Bulgaria

52-year-old Kadir Kadir has received a one-year suspended sentence with a three-year probation for preaching jihadism.

Kadir was also sentenced to pay a fine of BGN 6 000 by the District Court in Bulgaria's Haskovo, as he was found guilty of spreading radical Islam, religious discrimination, and preaching a ban on medical aid for women.

Kadir claimed that he is framed, and that he is not guilty of the crimes he was sentenced for.

The sentence can be appealed within 15 days before the Plovdiv Appellate Court.

In the meantime, Prosecutor Anton Popov announced that those witnesses who reversed their testimonies by telling the court that Kadir is not involved in anything wrong – despite claiming the opposition earlier – will be charged with perjury.

The Bulgarian Muslim from the village of Kozlets was charged by the Prosecutor's Office in Haskovo for crimes against the republic and religions in March 2011.

He was found to be inciting religious violence on the basis of the fact he participates in the banned Turkish sect Hakikat Vakf?.

The Hakikat Vakf? - or Divine Truth - order calls for armed struggle against all non-Muslims, in particular Christians, stated Haskovo prosecutor Anton Popov.

Investigation against Kadir started in 2009. Books of religious literature in Turkish and Arabic have been confiscated.

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