(Brussels Times) The court of appeal in Antwerp has postponed the judgement on a foiled assassination attempt on the then mayor of Antwerp, Bart De Wever (N-VA), until 24 April.
Five members of a suspected terrorist group are on trial in the case. They were initially sentenced to prison terms of seven to 13 years. The federal public prosecutor requested that these sentences be upheld.
The defendants were arrested on 27 March 2023 after a series of house searches in Antwerp, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean and Eupen. They were placed under surveillance after the Federal Judicial Police received information from State Security on 17 February 2023 about the disturbing activities of Elias E.A. (21) from Antwerp. He was spreading Islamic State (IS) propaganda via his social media and had also recorded a training video in which he introduced himself as an IS fighter who was ready for violence.
