Germany Convicts 3 Lebanese of Supporting Syria Hardline Group

A German court on Thursday convicted four men who procured tens of thousands of euros worth of supplies for the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham group in Syria of supporting a terrorist organization.

Lebanese citizen Kassem El-R., 33, was sentenced to 3 and a half years in prison by the Stuttgart state court.

Hassan A.S., 30, also Lebanese, 32-year-old German-Lebanese dual citizen Ali F., and 50-year old German Nuran B. received suspended sentences.

Their last names weren't given in accordance with German privacy rules.

In 2013 and 2014, they provided the group with 7,500 boots and 6,000 jackets and other goods worth 130,000 euros, procured through B.'s army-surplus company in Amstetten and in a delivery organized by El-R. -- who also provided five ambulances.

Ahrar al-Sham is Syria's most powerful non-jihadist rebel group, with a commanding presence in Idlib and Aleppo provinces.

It espouses a hardline Islamist ideology and works closely with former al-Qaida affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front.