German court convicts Syrian IS member of war crimes for torturing captives

BERLIN — A German court convicted a Syrian man Tuesday of torturing captives while he was a member of the Islamic State group in Syria.

The Berlin regional court found Raed E. guilty of war crimes, membership of a foreign terrorist organization and other offences. It sentenced the defendant, whose surname wasn't released in line with German privacy rules, to 11 years in prison.

Prosecutors said the 32-year-old joined IS in 2014 and participated in targeted attacks on the Shueitat tribe in the Deir el-Zour region of eastern Syria.

A man who was detained and tortured by the defendant testified at the trial.

The defendant left Syria in 2015 and traveled to Germany, where he was arrested last year.

The ruling can be appealed.