Dutch woman gets 3 years in U.S. prison for supporting terrorism

A 38-year-old woman from Terneuzen was sentenced to three years in prison in the United States. She was found guilty of transferring money to the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab. According to the American media, the sentence is much lower than the eight years in prison the prosecutor had demanded.

The woman had already been found guilty in May, and her sentence was determined on Monday. Between 2011 and 2014, the Dutch woman regularly chatted with about fifteen other women. She kept transferring small amounts through intermediaries in Kenya. In total, the Zeeland woman allegedly sent at least $300 to Somalia.

The woman fled from Somalia to the Netherlands as a teenager. She was granted asylum and settled in Zeeland. In 2014, the United States charged her, and she was arrested in the Netherlands. She tried to prevent extradition through summary proceedings. She argued that prosecution in the United States would be a threat to her life and the lives of her six children. A Dutch court ruled that was no reason to stop the extradition. She was put on a plane to the United States last year.

During the trial in the U.S., her lawyer argued that the prosecutors had no right to prosecute her because it involved the Netherlands and Somalia. $300 is also a minimal amount, according to the defense.

The prosecutors disagreed and said that for that amount, al-Shabaab could buy a Kalashnikov rifle or pay a jihadist’s monthly salary.

Two American co-defendants were previously sentenced to 12 and 11 years.