Sentences of up to 15 years in prison have been demanded for the members of the terrorist group that wanted to carry out an assassination attempt on Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA) and also attacked a police station.
The Federal Prosecutor demanded 15 years in prison against Elias E.A. (21) from Antwerp, who headed the terrorist group that wanted to kill De Wever (N-VA). For the five other members, prison sentences ranging between five to 12 years were sought, Belga News Agency reports.
The defendants were arrested on 27 March 2023 after a series of searches in Antwerp, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean (in Brussels) and Eupen (Liège). They had been under surveillance for several months after the Federal Judicial Police in Antwerp received information from State Security about the activities of Elias E.A.
According to the Federal Prosecutor, he was spreading Islamic State (IS) propaganda on his social media and had also recorded a training video in which he presented himself as an IS fighter who seemed ready for violence.
Undercover agent
During the further investigation, communications from closed chat groups were intercepted, showing that Elias E.A. wanted to carry out an assassination attempt on De Wever and that he wanted to attack a police station.
The man was looking for a Kalashnikov, small arms and explosives for this purpose. "An undercover agent was placed in the Telegram chat group to monitor the delivery of weapons," the magistrate stated.
When that delivery seemed imminent in late March and the plan for the attack reached an advanced stage, the police decided to intervene.
"A price of €2,200 was agreed for the purchase of a Kalashnikov with two loaders of 50 bullets. Elias E.A. was to have the money on 6 April and wanted the weapon delivered between 10 and 15 April," the Federal Prosecutor stated. "The attack on Bart De Wever, from whom he had meanwhile already received the address and photos of his home, would take place after Ramadan (which then ended on 20 April)."
