Belgium’s Minister of Justice is resigning after last week’s terrorist attack in Brussels where two Swedes were killed, several Belgian media reports. At the same time, it appears that Tunisia last year requested the extradition of suspected terrorist Abdesalem Lassoued – something that was not carried out by Belgian authorities.
– Even if it is an individual mistake, I still want to take my political responsibility. And I’m leavingsays the Minister of Justice.
Vincent Van Quickenborne resigns as Belgium’s Minister of Justice after the terrorist attack in Brussels. He announced this on Friday evening during a press conference. The reason is stated to be that the Belgian authorities missed that Tunisia requested the extradition of the suspected perpetrator Abdesalem Lassoued in August 2022.
– The extradition request has been transferred to the public prosecutor’s office, but it has remained there. That is, an individual, gross and unacceptable mistake. I want to take my political responsibility and resign as minister, he says at a press conference according to Nieuwsblad.
Escaped from prison
Tunisia’s extradition request was sent to the prosecutor’s office in Brussels. They wanted Abdesalem Lassoued extradited because they wanted to prosecute him for, among other things, escape and arson. He is said to have previously escaped from a prison in Tunisia.
– I’m not looking for excuses. I consider it my responsibility to resign. The new information from the prosecutor’s office hits me in the heart because I have done my utmost to improve the Department of Justice.
Johan Delmulle, the public prosecutor in Brussels, explained during the press conference that 31 similar cases were received by the Brussels public prosecutor’s office last year.
– This is the only case that was not dealt with immediately, he says.
The suspected perpetrator, Abdesalem Lassoued, applied for asylum in Belgium at the end of 2019, but was rejected in October 2020. At the time of the crime, he was in the country illegally.