A Belgian court on Monday sentenced two members of a Muslim terrorist cell to prison sentences after being indicted of planning terror attacks against local Chareidi Jews and other targets.

The main culprit, a Chechen national identified as Abubakar S., 26, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and another 10 years of police supervision. His wife and accomplice, 35, was sentenced to eight years in prison. Four other members of the cell received suspended sentences and fines.

The defendants had formulated a detailed plan in the summer of 2023 to carry out terror attacks in a Chareidi neighborhood in Antwerp along with other locations, including crowded areas, a police station, a NATO building, and a Toeiva bar. They also planned to carry out secondary attacks on police and emergency forces who arrived at the scene after the initial attacks.

“They had worked out very elaborate and concrete plans to carry out attacks,” Amélie Van Belleghem, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, said.

Belgian media reports said that the group had rented a warehouse to store weapons, monitored police activities, made arrangements for their children, and scouted out specific locations for several attacks.

Abubakar explicitly stated that he wanted to spread terror and murder. He recruited cell members, raised funds, and sent a video showing how to manufacture a bomb to members of the cell. He also pledged allegiance to ISIS and arranged for ISIS to claim responsibility for the attacks afterward.

During the trial, Abubakar interrupted the judge several times and hurled insults at him until he was finally evicted from the courtroom.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)