'Burglars for jihad cell

cologne - The presiding judge in Cologne on Monday eight men sentenced to multi-year prison terms for theft from churches. The booty they wanted to finance the armed struggle in Syria. The penalties ranged from two years and seven months to four years and ten months.

The judge did not consider it proven that the jihadists, whom some also inflicting grievous bodily harm was laid dependents were plotting for acts of violence in Germany.

The Salafist gang was more than three years been responsible for numerous burglaries in Cologne and Siegen, also in North Rhine-Westphalia. Especially churches with precious objects were burgled. It could not be determined whether there is 'substantial amounts' have gone to Syria and was transferred to whom the money.

However, it was clear that some members of the group felt increasingly connected with Islamic State. One of them is still up in appeal for providing support to a terrorist organization abroad.