Syrian man found guilty of advocating terrorism in South Korea

SEOUL, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- A Syrian man was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison for promoting terrorism in South Korea.

The Incheon District Court found a 33-year-old Syrian man guilty of distributing Islamic State-related content on social media and promoting membership to terrorist groups.

"The defendant continuously promoted activities and ideas related to Islamic State on his Facebook," said the court.

"He had a Telegram link to a secret chatting room with IS members," it added.

Terrorism promoters can be sentenced to up to five years in jail for the promotion of terrorism under the South Korean Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The man was also accused of promoting membership to Islamic State to his fellow migrant workers.

According to prosecutors, the Syrian man arrived in South Korea in 2007 as an asylum seeker. He has been staying on a humanitarian ground after rejected for a refugee status.

Prosecutors concluded that the Syrian man is a member of the Islamic State, a Sunni jihadist group with a violent ideology. They found he has kept promotional videos related to Islamic State membership and learned that he frequently traveled to countries in the Middle East, including Syria, while he was staying in South Korea on a humanitarian status.

"The defendant responded to South Korea's offer for humanitarian protection with the promotion of terrorism," the court said. "It's inevitable to isolate him from the society."