Tunisian court convicts 8 young men on terror charges

Tunis, Tunisia:  A lawyer says a Tunisian court has convicted eight young men on charges they belonged to a terrorist organisation and handed them sentences of three to 12 years in prison.

Defense attorney Anouar Kousri says the men, aged 20-30, were accused of having provided a terrorist group with weapons. The name of the group was not given.

Kousri on Sunday called the verdict "very severe" and alleged that there was only minimum evidence against the men. He said that at the end of the proceedings, the defendants retracted confessions they alleged were made under torture.

Kousri said he intends to appeal the verdict.