Kevin D., a Belgian from Mechelen who had been in an Italian cell since October 2021 at the request of the U.S. justice authorities, has been handed over to Belgium by Italy.
An international arrest warrant was issued for Kevin, who is in his twenties, after he hacked into several American Airlines websites. Arrested in October 2021 in Milan, where he had gone to attend a football match, the Malinois has since been at the centre of a legal battle between Belgium and the United States, both of which wish to put him on trial.
Italy was to extradite him to the United States. However, following a ruling by the Mechelen Criminal Court on 25 August, the Italian authorities decided to extradite him to Belgium, and have since done so.
Kevin D. is now in a Belgian cell, his lawyer confirmed to Belga news agency on Monday. However, it cannot be ruled out that an American judge might decide that he needs to stand trial in the United States.
His lawyers have already announced that they will make every effort to ensure that American justice accepts the Belgian verdict. Otherwise, Kevin D. may never be able to leave Belgium again, since he would risk being arrested abroad and extradited to the United States.
