Belgian court gives heavy sentences to Verviers ISIL cell members
By Robert Hackwill



BRUSSELS: -- A Belgian judge on Tuesday sentenced 15 members of an ISIL militant cell, nine of them in absentia, to up to 16 years in prison after convicting them of plotting attacks on targets including Brussels airport.

Islamic militants killed 32 people in Brussels on March 22, although prosecutors said the men sentenced on Tuesday played no part.

“It is not a decision of justice. Obviously, Paris and Brussels impressed the judges and they give exaggerated sentences. Now for judges it seems what is credible is becoming justice. My feeling is that verdicts to set an example certainly do not make fair justice and it won’t prevent things from happening,” said Xavier Carette, lawyer for one of the accused.

Prosecutors said the Verviers group was also in constant contact with Abelhamid Abaaoud, a prominent ISIL figure who planned several attacks in Europe including the deadly Paris attacks last November.

Abaaoud was shot dead in a gunbattle with French police five days after theNovember 13 attack in Paris.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-07-06

??? "up to 16 years"??? Does than mean 6 months to 16 years???

??? "up to 16 years"??? Does than mean 6 months to 16 years???

Brussels needs a GITMO for these rats and throw away the keys

They'll be out and attempting to kill again in a couple years. While inside, they'll have the latest Play Stations and X-Boxes.

??? "up to 16 years"??? Does than mean 6 months to 16 years???

Exactly my first thought.

up to 16 years in prison

such a harsh punishment, especially to a gang that is used to beheadings as a matter of course. Oh, Europe.

They'll be out and attempting to kill again in a couple years. While inside, they'll have the latest Play Stations and X-Boxes.

Not only that, they will get special food and privileges and become even more radicalised whilst inside, sticking with 'their own kind'. I have seen it happen. So much for Human Rights from the EU. With the case they don't deserve any rights.

I fail to see why execution isn't a suitable punishment for those with no regard for their own lives and the lives of others.

If nothing else, it stops recidivism.

I also consider the use of their perverted beliefs to make the execution more abhorrent to them would be appropriate; for example the use of materials that would allegedly preclude their entry to paradise.

Edited July 6, 201610 yr by halloween

I am not a fan of especially harsh sentences, but some types of offenders have to be kept out of society at least until they are no longer a danger. 16 years doesn't sound like long enough for their network to be completely eliminated, for their terrorist mates to have been killed and for them to be too old to likely commit much mayhem.

Until they are in their late 70's or 80's, they need to be in jail.

They'll be out and attempting to kill again in a couple years. While inside, they'll have the latest Play Stations and X-Boxes.

Yup! Sick. There is no justice left these days. No deterrents. The militia will return for justice

How pathetic! Nowhere near enough.These people should be made to understand that this kind of behaviour gets you life,and it means life.They should still have Devils island,where these shits can walk out every day and see the Guillotine standing there,just to remind them.

They'll be out and attempting to kill again in a couple years. While inside, they'll have the latest Play Stations and X-Boxes.

Not only that, they will get special food and privileges and become even more radicalised whilst inside, sticking with 'their own kind'. I have seen it happen. So much for Human Rights from the EU. With the case they don't deserve any rights.

Perhaps we could swap them all for another US deserter, like we did with Bergdahl?

why does Robert Hackwill think these are heavy sentences???

Yea, 16 years, because they've been naughty boys.

“It is not a decision of justice. Obviously, Paris and Brussels impressed the judges and they give exaggerated sentences. Now for judges it seems what is credible is becoming justice. My feeling is that verdicts to set an example certainly do not make fair justice and it won’t prevent things from happening,” said Xavier Carette, lawyer for one of the accused.

Perhaps Xavier Carette may feel a little different if it were their son or daughter killed by the terrorist. 16 years, out in 8 in a lovely cushy Belgian jail is definitely not justice for what they did. Not sure how the lawyer can term the sentence harsh to be honest.