GOB DENIES REPORT THAT IT WILL NOT EXTRADITE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000232 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE AND INL E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2020 TAGS: CJAN KCRM PREL PTER BE SUBJECT: GOB DENIES REPORT THAT IT WILL NOT EXTRADITE TRABELSI Classified By: Acting Political Economic Counselor Robert Kiene, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) On February 25, an article in the Flemish newspaper, Het Laatste Nieuws, alleged that Belgian Justice Minister Stefaan De Clerck would not request extradition of Nizar Trabelsi. Trabelsi is wanted in the United States for crimes related to plotting an attack on the military base in Kleine Brogel, where some U.S. military forces are stationed. Embassy Acting DCM contacted an aide to De Clerck, who categorically denied the report, saying that the information was part of a campaign by Trabelsi's attorneys to put pressure on the GOB, which has not yet made a decision on whether to extradite Trabelsi after he finishes serving a sentence in Belgium for terrorism related crimes. He said that the Minister would issue a statement to that effect. Sources in the Belgian Federal Police also confirmed that the report was false. GUTMAN .