The Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office has requested fines and prison sentences of up to two years for seven individuals linked to far-right soldier Jürgen Conings, who died in 2021.
The seven defendants were initially suspected of planning a terrorist attack but no evidence of this was ultimately found. However, they are being prosecuted for violations of firearms legislation.
The case dates back to May 2021, when Jürgen Conings, a soldier with far-right sympathies, stole heavy weapons from a military base and vanished.
After threatening virologist Marc Van Ranst, a large-scale manhunt was launched. His body was eventually discovered by cyclists on 20 June 2021.
Illustration picture shows the tree in the Dilserbos, where the body of fugitive soldier Jurgen Conings was discovered, in a forest area of Nationaal Park Hoge Kempen in Dilsen-Stokkem, Limburg province, Monday 21 June 2021. Credit: Belga / Pino Misuraca
An analysis of Conings’ smartphone revealed he had been communicating via online forums with sympathisers, including several well-known figures in far-right circles.
In his messages, Conings called for violent and armed actions, to which some of the defendants expressed a willingness to participate.
During a search of the home of one of them, identified as F.D., authorities found several weapons, including machine guns and significant quantities of ammunition.
"The context of this case is of great significance," declared federal prosecutor Tim De Wolf.
"We are dealing with individuals who spoke of mounting an armed resistance against the government, referred to ‘hit-and-go’ actions, and stockpiled weapons at home ‘just in case.’
Such language is deeply alarming. Part of the evidence also comes from the investigation into the arson attack on a refugee reception centre."
Defence lawyers argued that the weapons involved were mostly old and that there was no intention to use them.
