Swedes plead not guilty to Ethiopian terror charges

Two Swedish journalists pleaded not guilty Thursday to terrorism charges in an Ethiopian court after being arrested with rebel fighters, but apologized for entering the country illegally. Photographer Johan Persson and reporter Martin Schibbye, both freelancers, have been held in jail since they were arrested on July 1 with Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebels after a battle with government troops. "I entered the country illegally without proper documentation, for this I am guilty, for this I apologise to the Ethiopian government," Schibbye told the court. "But I am not guilty to the charge of terrorism." His colleague, Johan Persson, also admitted to not having proper documentation. But he added: "My intention was to do my job as a journalist, to describe the fighting, nothing else, not guilty." An AFP reporter at the court said the Swedes, dressed in suits and ties, looked serious as they listened to the charges leveled against them in the court room, packed with around a hundred people. "Your honour, I am a Swedish journalist, my job is to gather news," Schibbye told the judge. "We did not have any intention to collaborate with any group with interest to destabilise Ethiopia. For that we are not guilty." They smiled at times to family members in the court, including Persson's father and Schibbye's wife, as well to around 20 mainly foreign journalists. A lawyer for the Swedes, Abebe Balcha, reiterated the not guilty plea. "They have made a mistake of entering the country without proper documentation ... our clients are not guilty of any of the charges ... the only mistake that they have done is not acquiring proper documentation, other than that they are not guilty," Abebe told the court. The defence objected to the charges on two counts: that the alleged support the Swedish journalists provided to ONLF was not specified and that the prosecution was leaning on two articles for the single charge of terrorism. "We submitted our preliminary objection, the court examined them and did not accept our preliminary objection," said lawyer Abebe. The ONLF, formed in 1984, has been fighting for the independence of the remote southeastern Ogaden, populated mainly by ethnic Somalis, which the rebels say has been marginalised by Addis Ababa. The Swedes were charged last month with being engaged in terrorist activities, aiding and abetting a terrorist group, and entering the country illegally without permission from neighbouring Somalia. Two fellow co-accused, Ethiopian ethnic Somalis accused of being ONLF members, also pleaded not guilty. The trial is scheduled to continue on November 1, when the prosecution are expected to present their case.