Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS888
2009-06-26 15:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

NIZAR TRABELSI EXHAUSTS LAST BELGIAN JUDICIAL

Tags:  PTER CJAN CVIS KCRM BE 
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VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBS #0888 1771503
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 261503Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9126
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDHN/DIA DH WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000888 

SIPDIS

STATE PASS EUR/WE AND EUR/PGI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2019
TAGS: PTER CJAN CVIS KCRM BE
SUBJECT: NIZAR TRABELSI EXHAUSTS LAST BELGIAN JUDICIAL
OPTION

REF: BRUSSELS 260

Classified By: Acting DCM Richard M. Eason for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000888

SIPDIS

STATE PASS EUR/WE AND EUR/PGI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2019
TAGS: PTER CJAN CVIS KCRM BE
SUBJECT: NIZAR TRABELSI EXHAUSTS LAST BELGIAN JUDICIAL
OPTION

REF: BRUSSELS 260

Classified By: Acting DCM Richard M. Eason for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (U) Belgium's highest court, the Cour de Cassation, ruled
June 24 against Nizar Trabelsi's appeal to block a U.S.
request to extradite him to the United States. The Court
found no irregularities in the U.S. extradition request.
Trabelsi has exhausted all Belgian legal options, and the
Belgian Minister of Justice Stefaan De Clerck may now make a
decision on whether to grant the U.S. request. Trabelsi may
attempt to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in
Strasbourg, but it is unclear whether he has the procedural
ability to do so.


2. (C) Post believes the GOB will grant the U.S. extradition
request to get Trabelsi out of the country. Officials fear
that Trabelsi may attempt to kill a prison employee to
prevent his extradition. Were he to commit a crime in
Belgium, he would be tried in Belgium, delaying any
extradition to the United States. However, the next
administrative review of Trabelsi's current prison sentence
under the Belgian judicial process is April 2010; this is the
earliest opportunity at which Belgian prosecutors will be
able to file a request to suspend the remainder of his
ten-year sentence and recommend his extradition to the United
States.

BUSH
.