Yassine Lachiri, a Belgian sentenced to twenty years in prison for terrorism at the end of July in Brussels, was handed over to Islamic State (IS) by Turkey in exchange of hostages. So report the Sudpresse publications on Thursday. The Federal Prosecutor's Office is not confirming the exchange, but indicates having received information to this effect. Belgium has been demanding his extradition for a year.
Yassine Lachiri, who is reputed to be close to the individual who coordinated the attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was arrested in Mersin (in Turkey) in March 2015.
He then withdrew Julie B. from IS-controlled territories. This Belgian girl fell in love with the jihadist before joining him in Syria.
Sentenced in absentia to twenty years in prison on July 29th, 2015, by the Brussels Criminal Court, as part of the trial centred upon a jihadist network, Yassine Lachiri was subject to a demand for his extradition from Belgium, once his arrest in Belgium became public.
Sudpresse's information, indicates that the terrorist who worked as a bomb disposal expert within IS, was probably exchanged by Turkey for several hostages.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office has not confirmed the handover but has indicated that there appears to be proof of its occurrence.
(Source: Belga)
