Five years after his sentencing to nine years in prison by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for destroying protected mausoleums in Timbuktu, Malian jihadist Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, has asked to be released.
Transferred since 2019 to a prison in Scotland, Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi says he has made amends by disassociating himself from the world of crime and I will never return to it.
He asked judges to accept his request for early release.
His court-appointed lawyer, Mohamed Aouini, stressed "during these six years, he has become a much better person".
He added that Madhi confessed very frankly and expressed deep remorse and asked the victims to forgive him.
Abdullahi Hassan reports.
