World

Belgium Willing to Extradite Terror Suspect to France

Thursday, November 3, 2016 12:44 pm | 2 Minute Read

In this artist's sketch, Mehdi Nemmouche (R) stands next to a police officer during a court appearance at Versailles Court of Appeal in June 2014. He was extradited to Belgium a month later. After his trial in the Jewish Museum shooting, he may be returned to France to stand trial on terrorism charges. (AP Photo/Benoit P., File) — An artist’s sketch of Mehdi Nemmouche at a court appearance at Versailles Court of Appeal in June 2014. Nemmouche was extradited to Belgium a month later. (AP Photo/Benoit P., File)

Belgium has given approval in principle for the eventual extradition of a suspect in the May 2014 attack on the Brussels Jewish museum to France, where he is wanted in another case.

A Brussels court said Mehdi Nemmouche, who is accused of killing four people in the Jewish museum attack and is expected to go on trial next year, could be sent to France after that.

Several days after the 2014 Brussels attack, Nemmouche was arrested in France. He was extradited to Belgium two months later.

Forensic experts examine the site of a shooting at the Jewish museum in Brussels in May 2014. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

Nemmouche has been accused of being a jailer for the Islamic State terrorist group before carrying out the Brussels attack. The Paris prosecutor’s office said Nemmouche is wanted for allegedly being one of the captors of four French journalists held hostage in Syria in 2013-2014.

Belgian federal prosecutors refused to elaborate on the French case.