An Antwerp criminal court has sentenced two Brussels residents to up to six years in prison for setting fire to a Delhaize supermarket in Antwerp.
The fire broke out on the morning of Saturday 25 January, at the supermarket on Museumstraat.
The attackers had doused the entrance door with flammable substances, causing minor damage. However, the incident could have been far more serious, as there were residential apartments above the store.
Local police quickly investigated the case and identified suspects based on surveillance footage and phone data. Two men seen driving a rented Renault Clio with stolen licence plates were linked to the crime. The car had been spotted near the supermarket the night before the fire.
Days after the arson, the Clio was intercepted in Jette with Ali E.H., aged 37, at the wheel. Investigators discovered that he had exchanged approximately 150 communications with Zaïd B., 20, within four days, most of them on the night of the incident.
Zaïd B. was arrested two days after the fire in Brussels for selling drugs. Analysis of his mobile phone showed he had used Waze to travel to and from the crime scene, both during the reconnaissance visit and on the night of the attack.
Although both men denied their involvement, the court found them guilty. Ali E.H., who has a criminal record involving violent offences, was sentenced to six years in prison. Zaïd B., who had no prior convictions, received a five-year sentence. They were also ordered to pay €3,500 in compensation to the supermarket and €16,405 to the insurance company.
