Longest hostage-taking of a child abduction of a 13-Year-old upset Belgium in mid-April, a Boy of heavily armed men was kidnapped from his parents ‘ house, and 42 days was kept as a hostage. After his release, there is in Belgium a lot of open questions.0 comment to Prosecutor Guido Vermeiren (l) and Kris Vandepaer of the Federal criminal police of Limburg, at a press conference on the kidnapping of a 13-year-old boy.Photo: Marc Dirix/Keystone

It is the longest hostage-taking of a child in Belgium, a disturbing crime that was lucky enough to find a glimpfliches the end of A 13-year-old Boy who had been abducted in mid-April, heavily-armed and masked perpetrators of violence from his parents ‘ house, after 42 days of back free and unharmed (to the report). Six Suspects are behind bars, a seventh only, subject to conditions free. So much is certain. However, almost all other questions are open.

Who are the seven men, against a determination issued judges in the East-Belgian province of Limburg in the night to the Tuesday arrest warrant? In Belgium, a well-known Islamist Khalid B. is actually including? Where is the motive? Are the father and uncle of the victim, in fact, convicted for drug trafficking? Ransom Flowed? Where was the Boy captured? How is he? Unfortunately, there is no comment, says Pieter Strauven, spokesman for the office of the public Prosecutor Limburg, on Tuesday.

ransom should be

Thus, not only the sketch of this tangled Case, the investigators signed after the release of the child in the Monday night remains have been paid in the According to official data, penetrate in the night from 20. on the 21. April, heavily-armed and masked kidnappers in the family home in East Belgium Genk and abduct the 13-Year-old with violence. You use a stolen vehicle. During the 42 days of the hostage-taking, there are always contacts between the kidnappers and the victim’s family. A ransom is demanded. Two Times the kidnappers a sign of life of the child to send.

No comment.

Pieter Strauven, spokesman for the office of the public Prosecutor Limburg

In the night for 1. June, then the Boy will be exposed to about a kilometre from his parents ‘ house and goes to walk home. As soon as the child is safe, begin raids in the province of Limburg and in Antwerp, seven men aged from 24 to 45 years will be fixed. Now the case, the 25 investigators for six weeks around the clock worked, it was made known to the public. Several journalists, who knew of the matter, have so far kept silent in order to protect the child.

Now the media spread Details that can acknowledge the friendly authorities spokesman Strauven, unfortunately, only with “no comment”. So the required ransom to have amounted to five million euros – and, at least partly, also have been paid.

The father and uncle of the 13-Year-old had been convicted of international drug trafficking to 6, respectively, to 15 years in prison, reports the news Agency Belga. In the course of the process had become known that the family brought criminal organization had strokes 30 million euros in winnings. To have goaded the kidnappers their ransom demand.

Convicted Islamist among the arrested

But what is the role of the condemned Islamist Extremist Khalid b. that is, according to the Belga among the arrested Suspects? The now 45-Year-old, according to a report in the newspaper “De Standaard” since 2002 in the crosshairs of Belgian investigators. In 2012 and 2013, the man recruited a young fighter and in the war to Syria have sent. For this, he received, according to the report, a prison sentence of ten years, which was later shortened to three years.

“terrorism or simple crime?”, the newspaper “Le Soir asks,” and refers to the fact that both were sometimes closely linked. So the police will see the drug trade as one of the sources of funds of the terrorist organization Islamic state.

state attorney spokesman Strauven has also only a “no comment”. He stressed the important support of international colleagues in the course of the investigation, including the German, Dutch, French, and American police. “We want to thank you explicitly.” Further arrests and a widening of the investigation, he does not exclude the possibility.

The next important date would be the coming Friday. Then, the adhesion test of the fixed Suspect is.

(SDA /aru)

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