Franco-Italian gangster Antonio Ferrara, arrested in late February in Eupen, was released on bail but immediately re-arrested on Thursday under a European arrest warrant issued by France, his lawyer, Olivier Martins, confirmed.
Ferrara was detained on 27 February alongside eight other suspects. A tenth person was apprehended in Germany on the same day. Authorities suspected the group of planning an armed robbery at a cash storage facility for banks in Bochum, Germany.
Among those arrested were other notable figures from the French criminal underworld, including Kader Doumbia, known for kidnapping and torturing a currency trader in 2009, and Walid Tarsim, nicknamed “Walter,” who has a record of several robberies.
The arrests had followed a joint investigation by French and Belgian authorities. In June, it was determined that the gang’s trial would take place in Belgium.
Several suspects remained in pre-trial detention, including Ferrara.
On Monday, the Brussels Indictments Division ruled that Ferrara could be released on €30,000 bail. However, before he could leave custody, Tournai’s examining magistrate had him re-arrested, based on a European arrest warrant issued by France.
According to Martins, the European arrest warrant concerns the same allegations for which Ferrara was previously detained in Belgium. He has argued that this is not legally justified.
