Romanian Court To Try Syrian Investigated In Hayssam Case On Dec 13

The Bucharest Court of Appeals scheduled for December 13 the trial of Syrian businessman Mustafa Tartoussi, investigated in connection with the escape of Omar Hayssam.

The prosecutors said they cleared the circumstances of Hayssam’s escape and asked for the arrest of Tartoussi on Friday. Tartoussi is suspected of allegedly helping Hayssam to escape on one of his boats.

Syrian businessman Omar Hayssam fled Romania while under a terrorism inquiry for his role in the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Iraq two years ago.

Hayssam is the subject of an international arrest warrant after his being sentenced by the Bucharest Court of Appeals to 20 years for his role in the kidnapping of the Romanian journalists. He fled Romania shortly after he was paroled on medical grounds in the first half of 2006.