A preacher at the centre of an Austrianpropaganda network was sentenced to 20 years in jail Wednesday (July 13th) for recruiting youth to fight for the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) in Syria, AFP reported.
The 34-year-old preacher, who goes by the name Ebu Tejma, "brainwashed" dozens of people aged between 14 and 30, according to the public prosecutor, and recruited a number to fight for ISIL in Syria.
A court in the southern city of Graz found Tejma guilty of belonging to a terrorist organisation and of inciting terrorist attacks following a trial that has been running since February.
Tejma had become a "key figure" in pushing ISIL propaganda, the prosecution said.
He was arrested during a crackdown on extremist networks in 2014 and denies the charges against him.
A second accused was sentenced to 10 years for his involvement in recruiting fighters, as well as taking part in ISIL attacks in Syria.
