Attorneys for Mehdi Nemmouche, alleged perpetrator of the Jewish museum shooting in Brussels last May, shared their dissatisfaction with the course of the investigation in the case on Friday. At the Council Chamber in Brussels, they explained they believe that it was undertaken unilaterally and that several leads were not followed up. The Chamber must decide whether the accused will remain in preventive custody. “We are protesting because the letters our client sent us were taken from us,” says Sebastien Courtoy. This is utterly illegal and is unheard of as an infringement of the rights of the defence. Consequently, our client decided not to attend the hearing today.” Last December, the Council Chamber decided to keep the accused in custody for at least 3 months. Mehdi Nemmouche is being heard in the Council Chamber again at the request of his attorneys.
The defence team also refutes several aspects of the investigation. “Our client is supposedly the main suspect in this attack because he was arrested with a bag full or weapons,” adds Mr. Courtoy. “The investigation shows that someone else had the very same bag 2 days before his arrest. There is no evidence to prove our client set foot in the Jewish museum.”
Published pictures of the shooting at the Jewish museum were also altered, according to the defence. “The Federal Prosecutor's office should follow up every lead and look a little more closely at some of the victims,” adds the attorney.
(Source: Belga)
