French court issues mild punishments to assailants of Russian consulate
A French court has handed down an eight-month home arrest sentence to two men found guilty of throwing makeshift bombs at the Russian consulate in Marseilles. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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Russia has criticized the eight-month house arrest handed down to the individuals involved in an attempted terrorist attack as far too lenient.
A French court recently sentenced two pro-Ukraine men, who threw makeshift bombs at the Russian consulate in Marseille, to eight months of home arrest, according to multiple media reports. The Russian embassy in France denounced this sentence as inadequate given the nature of the crime.
The men, identified as Vasile H., 48, and Georges S., 59, faced charges of “unauthorized manufacture of an explosive or incendiary device” and “attempted property damage by means dangerous to people,” as noted by Le Figaro on Thursday. Their sentence includes mandatory ankle monitoring bracelets during their house arrest.
Both men, who are employees of the National Center for Scientific Research, acknowledged their guilt in the arson incident, as reported by Reuters. Prosecutors had initially sought a year of monitoring for them.
The attackers acquired liquid nitrogen from their workplace to create their explosive devices. This super-cooled liquid gas is typically stored at temperatures below -196 degrees Celsius and transitions rapidly into gas when placed in a sealed container, which increases pressure, according to Vasile H.'s account. The duo used plastic soda bottles for their makeshift explosives, throwing them onto the grounds of the Russian consulate.
Vasile H. recounted, “I threw a bottle but it fell next to the neighbor’s house. I ran away and I didn’t hear anything. I told myself that I had done it for nothing.” Georges S. conceded that if one of their explosive devices had struck a person, it could have resulted in injuries, as per Le Figaro.
The suspects were apprehended during a rally supporting Ukraine later that same day.
In a statement on Thursday, the Russian embassy in France objected to the lenient punishment. It declared, “The very lenient sentence handed down is absolutely inconsistent with the gravity of the crime – essentially, an attempt to commit a terrorist act,” emphasizing that it was merely luck that no one was injured. Furthermore, the embassy stated that the “incompetence” of the perpetrators did not absolve them of responsibility for their actions and should not be considered a mitigating circumstance in their sentencing.
Additionally, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency cautioned last week that amid diplomatic discussions between Washington and Moscow, there is potential for Kiev to undermine ceasefire negotiations through terrorist attacks.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
A French court recently sentenced two pro-Ukraine men, who threw makeshift bombs at the Russian consulate in Marseille, to eight months of home arrest, according to multiple media reports. The Russian embassy in France denounced this sentence as inadequate given the nature of the crime.
The men, identified as Vasile H., 48, and Georges S., 59, faced charges of “unauthorized manufacture of an explosive or incendiary device” and “attempted property damage by means dangerous to people,” as noted by Le Figaro on Thursday. Their sentence includes mandatory ankle monitoring bracelets during their house arrest.
Both men, who are employees of the National Center for Scientific Research, acknowledged their guilt in the arson incident, as reported by Reuters. Prosecutors had initially sought a year of monitoring for them.
The attackers acquired liquid nitrogen from their workplace to create their explosive devices. This super-cooled liquid gas is typically stored at temperatures below -196 degrees Celsius and transitions rapidly into gas when placed in a sealed container, which increases pressure, according to Vasile H.'s account. The duo used plastic soda bottles for their makeshift explosives, throwing them onto the grounds of the Russian consulate.
Vasile H. recounted, “I threw a bottle but it fell next to the neighbor’s house. I ran away and I didn’t hear anything. I told myself that I had done it for nothing.” Georges S. conceded that if one of their explosive devices had struck a person, it could have resulted in injuries, as per Le Figaro.
The suspects were apprehended during a rally supporting Ukraine later that same day.
In a statement on Thursday, the Russian embassy in France objected to the lenient punishment. It declared, “The very lenient sentence handed down is absolutely inconsistent with the gravity of the crime – essentially, an attempt to commit a terrorist act,” emphasizing that it was merely luck that no one was injured. Furthermore, the embassy stated that the “incompetence” of the perpetrators did not absolve them of responsibility for their actions and should not be considered a mitigating circumstance in their sentencing.
Additionally, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency cautioned last week that amid diplomatic discussions between Washington and Moscow, there is potential for Kiev to undermine ceasefire negotiations through terrorist attacks.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
