Canadian Press
Montreal — Sleiman El-Merhebi committed a terrorist act when he firebombed a Jewish elementary school, a judge said Tuesday as he sentenced the 19-year-old to 40 months in prison for arson.
"There's a distinction to be made between vandalism and terrorism," Judge Jean Sirois said as the shackled Mr. El-Merhebi listened from the prisoner's box. "One is aimed at stupid destruction, the other to sow terror for a political goal. Terrorism is much more menacing for society, it strikes at its foundations."
Although Judge Sirois sentenced Mr. El-Merhebi to 40 months, he gave him credit for the eight months he has already spent in detention, which counts as double time. "The sentence beginning today is two years in prison," Judge Sirois said. He said Mr. El-Merhebi's age, remorse and lack of a criminal record were mitigating factors in determining the sentence, but that the gravity of the crime at the United Talmud Torahs school last April demanded a serious sentence.
.......SNIP........
The judge was referring to a note left at the school that said the attack was in retaliation for Israel's killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Mr. El-Merhebi, who eventually pleaded guilty to arson, wrote in the note the attacks would continue if "your crimes continue in the Middle East."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050118.wmont0118/BNStory/National/
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