UK court rejects appeal by convicted London bombing plotters News
UK court rejects appeal by convicted London bombing plotters

[JURIST] The UK Court of Appeal Wednesday rejected an appeal [text] by four men convicted for plotting the failed bomb attacks on London's subway and bus systems [JURIST news archive] on July 21, 2005, two weeks after a similar attack [JURIST news archive] killed 52 people. In 2005, Hussein Osman, Muktar Said Ibrahim, Yassin Omar, and Ramzi Mohamed were all found guilty [JURIST report] of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The men said that the failed bomb plot had actually been a hoax, an argument rejected by the judges.

In November 2007, a UK judge sentenced [JURIST report] a fifth man, Manfo Kwaku Asiedu [BBC profile], to 33 years' imprisonment for his role in the failed bomb attacks. Asiedu pleaded guilty [JURIST report] to a charge of conspiracy to cause explosions and the prosecution agreed to drop the charge of conspiracy to murder. In a 2006 trial, the jury failed to reach a verdict against Asiedu [JURIST reports]. During the trial, Asiedu testified against his co-conspirators, undermining their defense that the plot was a hoax. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

38 Santee Sioux hanged by US for rebellion

On December 26, 1862, 38 Santee Sioux men were hanged in a mass execution for their roles in a rebellion against US authorities in Minnesota which left hundreds dead and made refugees of some 40,000 white settlers. Government annuities promised under a treaty with the Sioux had failed to arrive on schedule and credit for purchases was not advanced in the meantime, threatening the tribe with starvation. The Santee Sioux Tribe's members were deported first to South Dakota and ultimately to Nebraska, where they remain today. Learn more about the 1862 Minnesota Sioux Rebellion.

Louis XVI put on trial during French Revolution

On December 26, 1792, Romain de Sèze, a defense attorney for deposed King Louis XVI, presented a defense of his client. The former King was on trial before a French Revolutionary court on thirty-three charges, including treason and other crimes against the state. He was convicted on January 15, 1793 executed by guillotine on the following January 21.