Salah Abdeslam in court in September 2021. AFP
Salah Abdeslam in court in September 2021. AFP
Salah Abdeslam in court in September 2021. AFP
Salah Abdeslam in court in September 2021. AFP

Belgian court halts transfer of Paris attacker Abdeslam to France


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

An appeals court in Brussels on Tuesday stopped Belgian authorities sending convict Salah Abdeslam to France to continue serving a life term for the 2015 Paris terror attacks.

The only surviving member of the terrorist cell that killed 130 in the French capital, Abdeslam was in July found guilty over a 2016 attack in Brussels.

After the Brussels trial ended in September, he was due to be transferred back to France by October 12 to face the rest of his sentence.

But the Brussels court said the transfer was "temporarily suspended" over concerns it contravened the European Convention of Human Rights.

The convention protects the right to "family life" and Abdeslam's lawyers said his relatives were all in Belgium, where he grew up despite holding French citizenship.

"It's a victory, a great relief," his lawyer Michel Bouchat told news channel LN24.

In prison in Belgium, "he can receive visits from his relatives", and benefits from "better conditions with a view to his resocialisation", the lawyer said.

A general view of the Bataclan cafe and theatre in Paris, where armed militants, including Salah Abdeslam killed about 90 people on the night of November 13, 2015. AFP
A general view of the Bataclan cafe and theatre in Paris, where armed militants, including Salah Abdeslam killed about 90 people on the night of November 13, 2015. AFP

The case for the transfer will now go back to another Brussels court for further examination.

Abdeslam, 34, has spent most of his detention in France since his arrest in March 2016.

He was handed over to Belgium in 2022 to face trial there on the proviso that he would be returned.

The Paris and Brussels massacres were part of a wave of attacks claimed by ISIS in Europe.

In addition to his life sentence in France, Abdeslam is also facing a 20-year sentence in Belgium.

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Credit Score explained

What is a credit score?

In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.

Why is it important?

Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.

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The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.

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By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.

How do I know if my score is low or high?

By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.

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A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.

Updated: October 03, 2023, 9:10 PM`