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Alleged extremist released for lack of evidence in Belgium

Xinhua, May 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

A 24-year-old Syrian suspected of belonging to a radical organisation was released Tuesday by the investigating judge.

The announcement was made on Tuesday night by RTL-TVI television.

Eahya El Aani had been intercepted on Sept. 24 last year at Charleroi Airport as he prepared to fly to Norway.

During a police inspection, he was found to be in possession of false passports and several phones and memory cards on which were pictures of abuses by armed groups in Syria as well as messages to a suspected jihadist.

He was placed under arrest by a magistrate in Charleroi.

Upon his arrest, El Aani explained he was studying languages in Syria, and had wanted to find his family in Scandinavia.

According to his statement, he was in possession of the photos in order to show Europeans what is happening in his country of origin, and not for propaganda purposes.

"After seven months of investigation, no other explanation for the photos were found. The commission in Norway confirmed the words of my client," his lawyer Nabil Khoulalene said on Tuesday.

The suspect has been released due to insubstantial evidence to prove a link to a terrorist organization.

Nevertheless, El Aani remains charged and can not leave the territory of Belgium. Endit