Victims of the Paris attacks outraged by the request for early release filed in Belgium by terrorist Mohamed Bakkali

Victims of the jihadist attacks in France on November 13, 2015, face the prospect of Mohamed Bakkali’s early release in Belgium. He was convicted for his logistical role in the attacks, which left 130 people dead and hundreds injured.

Bakkali, a 39-year-old Belgian national, was sentenced in Paris in June 2022 to 30 years in prison. He rented safe houses and vehicles and sought weapons for the perpetrators of the attacks claimed by the Islamic State group. Imprisoned since November 2015, the convicted man has been eligible for electronic monitoring in Belgium since August 2023 and has already filed applications for conditional release. He has also received brief prison leave permits.

The situation has provoked outrage among the victims because the sentence handed down in France stipulates a two-thirds minimum term, which would theoretically rule out conditional release before December 2030. “There is a sense of betrayal,” said Arthur Dénouveaux, former president of the Life for Paris association.

The Brussels Sentence Enforcement Tribunal will review Bakkali’s applications again on September 29. Approximately 3,000 civil parties have been contacted and may submit observations on the conditions of any potential release. The Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that, at this stage, it opposes both conditional release and electronic monitoring.