Recidivism in Belgium

Cimmerian, who shuttles between the UK and Belgium, sends along a Belgian article translated from the French. First, his introduction:

Here’s a story that probably hasn’t received much attention outside Belgium (translated from RTBF)

A couple of things stand out for me about this story. First we have yet another case of Muslim immigrants with criminal records in the host country being released to commit further violent crimes. Why weren’t they deported back to their countries of origin after their release from prison?

Secondly, it’s interesting that this brief account (from state broadcaster RTBF via a French news site) goes out of its way to mention that the latest details have already been covered in the Flemish media. The murder took place in a village in the district of Beersel in Flemish Brabant. It’s just across the border from the French-speaking part of Belgium, but the implication is that the crime may have been downplayed by Belgium’s French-speaking media.

The suspects came from Charleroi which is further to the south in the French-speaking province of Hainaut. In other words, the perps probably hoped to take advantage of linguistic and administrative differences between the two provinces — a bit like American criminals crossing a state line to carry out an armed robbery.

The story is also strikingly reminiscent of a recent case in the UK in which WPC Sharon Beshenivsky (a mother of five who was a recent police recruit) was shot dead when she came upon a robbery in progress in Bradford. Her female colleague was also shot. Subsequently, several Somali immigrants to the UK received long prison sentences for murder and manslaughter. One of the men had to be extradited from Somalia where he had fled following the shooting.

And now Cimmerian’s translation of the article:

Arrest of the Suspected Murderers of Kitty Van Nieuwenhuysen

Latest news in the fatal shooting in Lot last December. A 23 year-old female police officer, Kitty Van Nieuwenhuysen, lost her life in the course of a routine intervention during a suspected robbery. Three suspects were arrested Saturday evening in Charleroi.

Various Flemish media have covered the latest developments. Very soon after the shooting, investigators came to the conclusion that the perpetrators came from the Charleroi district. They even put names and faces to the suspects — three men who, within days of the event, fled to their countries of origin, Morocco and Turkey. Investigating officers were faced with a dilemma: either to launch an international manhunt, or to await the return of the suspects to Belgium. A return which they believed was inevitable. This was the course of action chosen.

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Saturday evening it was proved correct. The three men were reported to be back. A police operation arrested them in and around Charleroi. All three had previous convictions for armed robbery. As for the present crime, let us keep in mind that they are so far only suspects. The proper legal process will be necessary to throw further light on the matter.

This is a crime which has provoked strong feelings within the police force. The young woman had only just joined the force and she was gunned down as she arrived to investigate an apparent car-jacking. Her male colleague was seriously wounded.

Last Sunday morning, Brussels authorities released further details of the suspects. Two live in Charleroi and one in Namur; ages 29, 30 and 31 years. Two of the three men have considerable criminal records, including prison sentences of 6 and 7 years for armed assaults. The three men are expected to be formally charged with murder committed during the course of a robbery, and with membership of a criminal organization.

Another report says that two of the men, Noureddine Cheikni and Hassan Iasir, denied that they had fled the country, and claimed through their lawyer that they had been in Morocco on ‘family business’.