On Tuesday 28th September 2016, the International Criminal Court (ICC) sentenced a Malian Jihadist; Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi to 9 years in prison for razing Timbuktu’s ancient shrines.
Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi was jailed for nine though the prosecution was calling for 11 years in an effort to help safeguard the world’s ancient monuments usually targeted by terror groups including the ISIS.
In his judgment, ", ICC judge Raul Pangalangan told the tribunal that Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi was convicted of a crime of "significant gravity” with a three-judge bench unanimously handing the Malian jihadist nine years of imprisonment.
The chamber handed down its judgment at 0930 GMT against Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi where he was found guilty for attacking on all 10 protected shrines and Mosques in the UNESCO world heritage site as a war crime.
Mahdi pledged guilty of the crime before the court. Observers of the case say they hope the Mahdi sentence will act as a deterrent to those bent on razing the world's cultural heritage, which UN chief Ban Ki-moon recently condemned as "tearing at the fabric of societies".
