For the First Time in International Court; Trial of a Fundamentalist for Attacking Historical Artifacts

The International Criminal Court in The Hague will, for the first time, try an extremist Islamist on charges that include attacking and destroying historical artifacts on Monday, September 1. Ahmad al-Mahdi, a roughly 40-year-old fundamentalist from Mali, is accused of leading the destruction left by Malian extremists in the historic city of Timbuktu. News agencies and media say that Ahmad al-Mahdi's trial could send a clear message to those who engage in the destruction of historical and recognized artifacts of human civilization. Al-Mahdi is accused of leading attacks and destruction at nine historical sites in Timbuktu between June and July 2012. The city of Timbuktu in Mali was retaken from Islamists by the Malian army with the help of the French army in the winter of 1391 (2012). This city is one of the important and ancient centers of Islamic civilization in Africa and was one of the main trade routes for gold and salt in the Sahara region during the 14th and 15th centuries. During the Middle Ages, Timbuktu was also considered one of the important centers of education in the Islamic world. The manuscripts burned at one of the most important institutions of Islamic history were destroyed by a group known as 'Ansar Dine' when they controlled the city, targeting buildings and tombs mainly belonging to Sufis as symbols of 'infidelity.' Among the targeted locations was the 'Ahmad Baba' Institute, which housed thousands of manuscripts in Arabic and local African languages. Many of these manuscripts had been transferred to this city from other scientific centers of the Islamic world, from Iran to Iraq and Egypt. Evidence showed that before the arrival of white people in the region, this part of Africa had a flourishing civilization under the influence of moderate rulers and Sufis. The International Criminal Court in The Hague has charged Ahmad al-Mahdi with issuing orders to attack ancient centers as a member of 'Ansar Dine' and the leader of one of its groups. Al-Mahdi's trial will last five days and will be overseen by three judges at the International Criminal Court. A team of lawyers will also represent the accused. Al-Mahdi is also the first person to be tried for war crimes during the Malian crisis in an international court.