British and German tourists deny smuggling antiquities in Iraq
- Jim Fitton and Volker Waldmann had ancient artefacts in their possession as they attempted to fly out of Baghdad airport
- The pair, who could face the death penalty if found guilty, said they no idea they might have broken local laws
A British and a German tourist accused of smuggling ancient shards out of Iraq appeared in a Baghdad court in yellow detainees’ uniforms, telling judges they had not acted with criminal intent and had no idea they might have broken local laws.
The trial of Jim Fitton, 66, is grabbing international attention at a time when Iraq seeks to open up its nascent tourism sector. The session also revealed first details about a second defendant, identified as Volker Waldmann of Germany.
The three-judge panel in Baghdad’s felony court scheduled the next hearing for May 22. The court must determine whether the defendants had sought to profit by taking the 12 items, which were found in their possession as they attempted to fly out of Baghdad airport on March 20.
Fitton and Waldmann appeared in court in detainees’ yellow and were asked to explain their actions.
Waldmann said the two items found in his possession were not his and instead had been given to him by Fitton to carry. “But did you put them in your bag?” asked head judge Jaber Abdel Jabir. “Didn’t you know these were Iraqi antiquities?”
Waldmann said he did not pick up the items from the site and had only agreed to carry them for Fitton.