A Pakistan national charged and detained for trial on suspicion of joining the extremist group "Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT)" and operating in Korea was found not guilty in the first trial of violating the anti-terrorism law. The court said the material presented as the core to proving the allegations was "difficult to view as direct evidence," and found guilty only on some charges, including those related to immigration offenses.
The Suwon District Court Criminal Division 12 (chief judge Park Geon-chang) on the 13th sentenced A, in their 40s, who was brought to trial on charges of violating the Act on Counter‑Terrorism for the Protection of Citizens and Public Security, violating the Immigration Act, and obstructing the performance of official duties by deception, to one year in prison, suspended for two years. A was reportedly released the same day due to the suspended sentence.
A was indicted on suspicion of joining Lashkar‑e‑Taiba in Pakistan in 2020 and acting as a member. In addition, in Sept. 2023, A submitted a visa application to the Korean Consulate in Pakistan falsely claiming a business visit and, after obtaining the visa, allegedly used illegal methods in the process of entering Korea in Dec. of the same year. Police launched an investigation after receiving related intelligence from the National Intelligence Service, and A has been on trial in custody since Aug. last year.
The court found A guilty of violating the Immigration Act and obstructing the performance of official duties by deception, but concluded not guilty on the charge of violating the anti-terrorism law.
In the written judgment, the court noted, "The audio file submitted as direct evidence for the anti-terrorism charge accounts for only 6 minutes of a total 17 minutes, and it is difficult to confirm the context in which the remarks were made." It also said, "Considering that if the person were an actual member, there would be little reason to inform an unrelated third party by phone without any particular protection measures, it is difficult to recognize the admissibility of the transcript as evidence," adding, "It is hard to see that the indictment has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
However, regarding the parts found guilty, the court said A's confession of the charges was reflected in the sentencing.
Meanwhile, Lashkar‑e‑Taiba is an Islamist extremist militant group formed in the mid‑1980s, widely known to the international community after being identified as responsible for the large‑scale terror attack in Mumbai, India, in 2008.