On October 5, a military tribunal in Cameroon rejected...

On October 5, a military tribunal in Cameroon rejected a prosecution request for the death penalty against 5 of the 87 defendants in a mass trial in connection with pre-election attacks in 1997 which the government blamed on separatist terrorists. Up to 10 people died in Cameroon's North West Province in the attacks on government installations in 6 different locations ahead of a parliamentary election in May 1997. The 87 defendants were all militants of the main opposition Social Democratic Front and suspected members of the separatist Southern Cameroon's National Council. Both groups deny involvement in the attacks.