Swedish Man Sentenced to Life for Role in ISIS Execution of Jordanian Pilot

A Swedish man, Osama K., was sentenced to life in prison for aiding the 2015 ISIS execution of a Jordanian pilot, who was burned alive in Syria. He was found guilty of war crimes and terrorist offenses, marking the first conviction related to the incident.

The Stockholm District Court on Thursday sentenced a Swedish national, Osama K., to life imprisonment for his involvement in the 2015 murder of a Jordanian pilot who was burned alive by the "Islamic State" (IS) militant group in Syria.

K. was found guilty of participating in the execution by assisting in forcing the pilot into a metal cage prior to one of the militant group's most notorious killings. This marks the first conviction of anyone tried in connection with the high-profile execution.

The investigation revealed that the defendant was present at the scene of the execution, dressed in uniform and armed, and permitted himself to be filmed, according to Judge Anna Liljenberg Gullesjo. While video evidence indicated that another individual lit the fire that ultimately killed the pilot, the judge concluded that K.'s role was essential: "Defendant's actions contributed so significantly to the death of the victim that he should be considered a perpetrator."

K., who was charged in May, is already serving prison sentences for his participation in the 2015 Paris and 2016 Brussels terror attacks. He was convicted of serious war crimes and terrorist offenses for facilitating the execution, which had been widely denounced for its brutality at the time.

The Jordanian pilot had been captured by IS fighters after his Royal Jordanian Air Force jet crashed in Syria on December 24, 2014. He was burned alive inside a cage, and a video of the execution was released publicly on February 3, 2015.

Judge Liljenberg Gullesjo stated that K. was responsible for guarding the victim before and during the execution and for leading him to the cage where he was ultimately burned alive. Images of the execution were later distributed online by the jihadi group.

The court also ordered financial compensation for the pilot’s family, awarding 80,000 Swedish kronor (approximately €7,200 or $8,200) each to his parents and siblings.

Osama K., a 32-year-old from the Swedish city of Malmo, had joined IS in Syria in 2014 and later returned to Europe, according to prosecutors. Although investigators could not determine the exact date of the murder, they were able to identify the location where it occurred.

During the trial, K.'s defense attorney, Petra Eklund, acknowledged that her client had been present at the scene but denied the allegations regarding his specific involvement in the killing.

In 2022, K. was sentenced in France to 30 years in prison for his role in the November 2015 Paris attacks, which left 130 people dead. The following year, he received a life sentence in Belgium for his involvement in the 2016 Brussels attacks that killed 32 people.

France agreed on March 12 to transfer K. to Sweden for a period of nine months to allow for investigation and trial proceedings. He is expected to be returned to France afterward to continue serving his sentence.

Editor's note: In an effort to limit their exposure, Deutsche Welle has decided to withhold terror suspects' names and obscure their faces.