OSLO, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- A 34-year-old Norwegian man was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for joining the Islamic State (IS) group and participating in terrorist attacks in Syria, broadcaster TV2 reported Monday.
The man, identified by TV2 as Kristian Michelsen from Verdal in the central Norway, went to Syria in November 2014 and joined the IS.
Michelsen was arrested on April 30, 2016, on the Turkish border with Syria after he had left the organization. He was deported from Turkey and arrested by Norwegian Police Security Service (PST).
According to the Oslo District Court's ruling, he had "the intention of creating serious fear in the Syrian population by entering the country and taking part in IS training program and weapon training".
Michelsen denied the charges and claimed that he was only operating with emergency aid in the civil war-hardened country.
He also claimed that he did not know anything about the cruel acts of IS, despite massive media coverage of the group during the time before he left Norway.
"I knew there was civil war in Syria and that people were killed and executed. But I did not know anything about IS," Michelsen was quoted as saying.
According to public broadcaster NRK, Michelsen's defense lawyer Siri Langseth said the man would appeal the verdict. The prosecutors, who had demanded a nine-year sentence, have also decided to appeal.
