Much lighter penalties for appeals for members of Terrorist Organization who had aiming for Bart De Wever: « We are very satisfied » (Antwerp)

The court of first instance in Antwerp condemned 22-year-old Elias EA and his religious mentor Harun C (37) in June 2024 to thirteen years in prison. His companions then received penalties from seven to twelve years. At the time, they were found guilty of planning a murder attack on Bart De Wever and participation in the activities of a terrorist group. « The attack is only prevented by the timely intervention of the security services, » said the Antwerp court in its judgment last year.

Read too. Bart De Wever had a goal as a target

The five appealed to their conviction and heard on Thursday that they will receive a much lighter punishment The Court of Appeal says that some preparatory acts were made for an attack, but that it could not be deduced that the terrorist attack would also be effectively implemented. « For example, no exploration of the home of Bart De Wever was carried out, no payment was made for the purchase of a weapon and no weapon was delivered. The date on which the assessment would be committed was also postponed without further specification and the plans remained vague, » the Court of Appeal explains that decision

« There was first an attack on a police commissioner and then an attack on Bart De Wever. In the first instance, the purchase of one weapon was mentioned, then two weapons, after which it was finally agreed to proceed to purchase one weapon. » According to the Court, Elias EA also did not have the financial resources for the purchase of a weapon. All this means that the Court of Appeal was of the opinion that there was no attempted terrorist murder (since there was no start of implementation yet), but that was intervened at a time when the facts were still in a preparatory phase.

Read too. Bart De Wever demands compensation from convicted terrorists who were aiming for him

The Court of Appeal and the group are described as a « real serious serious threat to social order and public safety, as well as for the safety of the individual citizen ». Elias EA, the leader of the group, has now been sentenced to six years in prison instead of the earlier thirteen years. « We are very satisfied, » responds his lawyer Wim Wagemakers. « He can now start working on his life after prison and will be eligible faster to be released under certain modalities. »

‘Religious mentor’ Harun C. (37) got away even lighter, he went from thirteen to four years in prison. « We are relieved that the court has reduced the case to the true proportions, » says his lawyer Ergun Top. The three other defendants received between three years and 55 months in prison and fines between 8,000 and 16,000 euros. Earlier, Bart De Wever took a civil party, the matter of compensation will be dealt with later.