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Tunisia Requests Maximum Sentences for 34 With Ties to al-Qaida VOA News 30 Jan 2002 19:57 UTC 
A Tunisian military court has sentenced 34 Islamic militants to up to 20 years in prison for belonging to a group linked to the Al-Qaida terror network.
Thirty-one of the sentences against members of the Ahl al Sunna wal Djamaa were pronounced in absentia. Some of those sentenced are in police custody abroad.
Those sentenced to 20 years in prison include Essid Sami Ben Khemais, who was arrested last April in Italy for allegedly planning a chemical terror attack in Europe. Tunisian prosecutors describe Mr. Khemais as the leader of Ahl al Sunna's Italian arm.
They also say the militant Islamic group organized training for its members in Afghanistan with help from Al-Qaida.
The trial is the second of its kind in Tunisia since the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States. Last month, a Tunisian extradited from Italy was sentenced to 20 years in prison for terrorist activities.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AP.
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