Sentences handed down in terrorism trial

Prison sentences of ten months to twenty years were handed down on 30 suspects in the so-called ‘Syrian network’ trial in Brussels’ magistrates’ court on Wednesday. They are all suspected of having taken part in terrorist activities.

The chief suspect Khalid Z. was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The 41-year-old man is suspected of having recruited young people to fight in Syria and committing numerous thefts. "Khalid Z. is the archetype of the rebellious, cynical mentor who has ruined the mentality of the youth of an entire neighbourhood," the court heard.

Two others suspected of having headed up the network, Fatima A. and her son Soufiane A., received eight years in prison. Fatima A.’s two other sons, one of whom has been killed in Syria, were sentenced to twenty years as they were repeat offenders. "Fatima A. contaminated her environment with extremist Islamist ideology. Like Khalid Z., she acted as a mentor and chose to commit crimes to fund travel to Syria,” the court heard.

Abdelhamid A., the suspected mastermind behind the terror cell in Verviers which was dismantled in January, was sentenced in absentia to twenty years. In August 2014, Abdehamid A. kidnapped his younger brother Younes so that the two could join jihadists in Syria. He is still being sought.

The court also sentenced Yoni M., Reda K., Rachid T., and Mohammed C. to ten years in prison and Ilias M. to seven years. Seven suspects were awarded five-year sentences.

Two suspects were acquitted: sisters Sarah and Soumaya K. They were detained in December on the Turkish-Syrian border, but are not thought to have taken part in terrorist activities.

A total of 32 people stood on trial for recruiting people to go to fight in Syria or helping them to depart to Syria. Some are thought to have actually gone to Syria or been on the point of doing that.