Iraq hands life sentences to men charged in 2022 murder of U.S. citizen

BAGHDAD, August 31 — The Karkh Criminal Court handed life sentences on Thursday to a group of five men charged with the November 2022 murder of American Stephen Troell in Baghdad. The men were identified as four Iraqis and one Iranian, who is listed as a captain in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

The source explained in a press release:

The Criminal Court of Karkh issued a verdict of life imprisonment against the murderers of American citizen Stephen Troell after three hearings.

The four suspects are Iraqi citizens affiliated with various factions, and an Iranian individual who holds the rank of captain in the Revolutionary Guard. According to information, the suspects confessed to carrying out the killing after being interrogated. Their case was referred to the Criminal Court of Karkh.

Information indicates that the operation was initially a kidnapping of the American citizen rather than a murder. However, the suspects made a mistake during the kidnapping and killed him. They were subsequently apprehended following intelligence agency efforts by the Ministry of Interior, which gathered multiple pieces of evidence that incriminated them. The arrest took place in a house near the Rusafa district.

A subsequent judicial investigation followed, leading to the transfer of their files to the Criminal Court of Karkh, despite the extensive pressures exerted.

Conversely, Tehran disavowed the Iranian suspect after the initial kidnapping operation failed due to the lack of coordination or prior knowledge. Eventually, Iran and certain Iraqi entities exerted significant pressure to have the suspect brought to Tehran for prosecution.

The criminals were sentenced this morning by the Criminal Court of Karkh, despite the extensive pressures, in a case that is considered the most significant due to its legal and international implications.