BELGIUM: TRABELSI EXTRADITION UPDATE: BELGIAN

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000260 SIPDIS STATE PASS TO L, S/CT, AND EUR/WE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER CJAN CVIS KCRM BE SUBJECT: BELGIUM: TRABELSI EXTRADITION UPDATE: BELGIAN COURT UPHOLDS EXTRADITION TO UNITED STATES REF: 08 BRUSSELS 1823 ¶1. (U) The Brussels Chamber of Indictments (BCI) February 19 ruled that Tunisian-national Nizar Trabelsi may be extradited to the United States. The appellate court (that is, the BCI) reaffirmed the November 19, 2008 ruling by the Nivelles Chamber of Indictments. Trabelsi is now expected to appeal the BCI decision to the Supreme Court of Belgium. If the ruling is upheld there, the Court of Appeals will issue an advisory decision to Belgium's Minister of Justice, Stefaan De Clerck. The Justice Minister will then be free to review the advisory decision and issue a final decision regarding extradition. ¶2. (U) Trabelsi is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence in Belgium for planning an attack on the Kleine Brogel NATO airbase in Limburg, in an attempt to kill American personnel. BUSH .