5 members of IS terrorist cell convicted in Germany

A court in the west German city of Dusseldorf on Tuesday convicted five men of being members of the Islamic State terrorist group, reported dpa.

The men were handed sentences of up to nine and a half years in prison.

According to the judges, the Islamists, between 25 and 34 years old, belonged to a terrorist cell which was planning to carry out attacks in Germany on the instructions of Islamic State leaders.

The court heard that two years ago the men wanted to murder a critic of Islam, but police prevented the attack.

Before their arrest, the five Tajiks lived in different cities in the North Rhine Westphalia state.

One of the other members of the cell was sentenced to seven years in prison last year.