The perpetrator of the knife attack on two police officers in Brussels, Yassine Mahi, was radicalized and had made threats at the police station in Evere. In addition, he was on the OCAD list. Yet hours later, the man was able to strike relentlessly. According to the prosecutor of the Brussels public prosecutor’s office, this is not an error of judgment. But ‘VTM Nieuws’ terror expert Faroek Özgünes sees this differently, as you can see in the studio conversation above.
CFU
Nov 11 2022
Latest update:
15:03
Yassine Mahi was known to the judiciary for a few crimes – but not terrorist acts – for which he was in jail from 2013 to 2019. But he was also on the OCAD list. The man is believed to have radicalized in prison. However, apparently he was not followed up properly. On Thursday evening around 7 p.m., the man, armed with a knife, attacked a police vehicle in the Aarschotstraat at the North Station that was standing in front of a red light. First he stabbed the driver in the neck, then he turned to the passenger, who he stabbed in his right arm. An officer, Thomas M. (29), was killed in the knife attack. His colleague Jason P. (23) was injured but is said to be out of danger in the meantime.
“It is important to mention that Yassine Mahi has never been convicted of terrorism and that he has served his sentence until the last day,” said terror expert Faroek Özgünes in the VTM NIEUWS studio. “So he was never released under conditions, so that he was not succeeded at that time.”
LOOK. Eric Van der Sypt of the federal prosecutor gives all the details known so far about the knife attack on agents Thomas and Jason.
But Yassine Mahi was also on the OCAD list. “And then such a man is normally followed by state security and the local police. His profile was known to the police and the public prosecutor’s office,” the terror expert explains. “He has been mentioned several times on so-called ‘Lokal Task Forces’, so they knew who they were dealing with.”
But was that man followed correctly? “Apparently not because he was walking around freely and had a weapon in his pocket,” says Özgünes. According to the prosecutor of the Brussels public prosecutor’s office “it is not an error of judgment”. Yassine Mahi, however, had reported to the Evere police station on Thursday morning. There he made a confused impression, spoke of hatred against the police.
“There he made his intentions clear,” says the terror expert. “Not only the magistrate is then notified, but also the Extremism Cell of the police zone and they know his background. The question is, of course, what has been the response of the Cell Extremism? For example, did they say that they know him and that he was talking gibberish again or did they provide all the necessary elements for the magistrate on duty of the Brussels public prosecutor’s office to make the right decision?” Özgünes wonders.
According to the terror expert, it is exactly where it is lacking. “I think not all elements have been passed on and that there was actually an error of judgment,” he concludes.
TIMELINE. How agents Thomas (29) and Jason (23) were suddenly attacked during a routine patrol
Chief of police emotional after death officer Thomas (29): “Sad day for police and relatives”
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