The Israeli military tribunal imposed life sentences today on both Rima Tannous and Therese Khalsa, the two women accused of taking part in the Sabena Airlines hijacking at Lydda airport at the beginning of May. The tribunal convicted the women on three of the four charges against them.
They received life imprisonment sentences for participating in a group that committed offenses using weapons; and bearing weapons, hand grenades and explosives. On the charge of membership in an illegal organization, they were each given ten years imprisonment. Both women were acquitted on a count of planting a bomb.
In handing down its verdict, the tribunal said that the two women had tried to pretend that they were unaware of the hijacking mission before the terrorist acts were carried out. However, their testimony could not stand up to the facts that were introduced by the prosecution which the court accepted. Moreover the court had discovered that both women had joined the terrorist organization of their own free will, and that they carried out their part in the hijacking of their own volition.
Prior to the sentencing, Miss Tannous’ lawyer, Eliezer Koren, asked the court to impose an easy sentence of short imprisonment on his client. He recalled her miserable childhood. Miss Khalsa’s attorney, Jacob Hennigmann, asked to court to consider his client’s young age of 19 and her relative immaturity, in asking for a light sentence.
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