Another four suspects will remain in jail longer in terror investigations
The investigation into the possible terrorist attack is being conducted by the federal judicial police (FGP) of East Flanders. Under the leadership of a West Flemish investigating judge, specialized in terrorism cases, a series of house searches was carried out on 4 May. According to the federal prosecutor’s office, there were three house searches in Roeselare, three in Menen and one each in Ostend, Wevelgem and Ghent.
In the end, seven suspects of Chechen origin were arrested by the investigating judge. They are suspected of participation in the activities of a terrorist group, attempted terrorist attack and preparatory acts for a terrorist attack. A 25-year-old man from Menen would be the key figure in the case. The suspect was clearly radicalized and would have had plans to commit an attack in Belgium. It is not clear how concrete those plans were. The six other suspects deny any involvement in terrorism.
Case postponed
In principle, the six men and the woman had to appear before the council chamber in Bruges on May 9. But four suspects turned out not to have been transferred from prison. In those circumstances, their lawyers allowed the case to be postponed. The arrest of two other suspects has already been extended by a month. On the other hand, the council chamber then ruled that a twenty-something from Wevelgem was allowed to leave the prison under certain conditions. However, the federal public prosecutor’s office appealed against that decision, which means that the Ghent Chamber of Indictment (KI) will have to make the decision.
The arrest of the four other suspects was extended by a month on Tuesday morning. Only the defense of the central figure did not insist on a conditional release.