Firdaous Bouhaltite Soulaïmane, the 14-year-old, who has been reported missing since last Wednesday has a sister. The sister is, in fact, a Belgian fighter who has returned to Belgium. The sibling, who is an adult, was arrested for questioning last Wednesday. It is soon due to be decided whether her case should be referred to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office indicated on Monday that it has not yet been clearly established how many times the sister stayed in Syria.
The police disseminated a wanted notice in Saturday for Firdaous Bouhaltite Soulaïmane.
She is aged 14 and left her house in Uccle last Wednesday to go to school. She has not been seen since.
The young wanted girl is around one metre sixty centimetres tall, and is of a slim build. She has dark eyes and mid-length hair which she normally wears up.
She may be dressed in a dark brown niqab veil and black gloves, although no actual clothing description is available.
Two photographs have been circulated, one of her wearing traditional clothing and one of her wearing western clothing. This is because Firdaous Bouhaltite Soulaïmane is known to dress in both styles.
Investigators are envisaging that Firdaous has potentially been radicalised and is on the way to Syria.
The avenue is being taken all the more seriously, as it appears at present that her older sister is a ‘returnee’ from Syria.
The Brussels Public Prosecutor says, “The possibly of Firdaous going to Syria is not being excluded and is being actively explored. For the moment, and on the basis of evidence uncovered so far in the investigation, it is however not possible to confirm either a departure or an imminent departure by Firdaous. The evidence points to her never having been to Syria.”
The Brussels Times
