Tunis: A Tunisian court on Wednesday sentenced a leader of radical Islamist group Ansar Al Sharia to one year in prison for inciting an attack on the US embassy in Tunis last month in which four people were killed.
The conviction of Abu Ayub was the first in connection with the attack - launched to protest against an anti-Islamic film made in California - and is likely to please the United States which has been urging the authorities to jail those responsible.
“The judge decided to jail him on charges of inciting violence. This decision is unfair we will go to appeal,” said Rafik Ghak, a lawyer for Abu Ayub.
The authorities arrested 144 people, including two prominent leaders of Ansar Al Sharia after the embassy attack. Saif Allah Benahssine, the leader of the group, has urged the government to release them.
