The attacker sought asylum in four EU countries

profile and Attacker’s Journey in Brussels and take shape more and more precisely. The terrorist who killed two Swedes in the capital Monday evening and an illegally staying Tunisian have sought asylum in four European countries since 2011, according to the Belgian government.

Before applying for asylum Belgium At the end of 2019, he explained to the immigration services that he arrived in this country four years ago, in December 2015, and then married a Belgian known to the authorities. Abdesalem LazoutHe had sought asylum Norway On June 23, 2011 Sweden On September 28, 2012 and Italy on April 24, 2014,” according to documents from the Belgian parliament made available Thursday.

Rejected every time

A day after a hearing before a special committee of parliament, Belgian Asylum and Migration Secretary Nicole de Moor spoke again on Thursday about the various stages of Abdesalem Lasuet’s journey, calling for better cooperation between European countries.

“The terrorist had applied for asylum in four different European countries, and each time, he was rejected because he was not eligible for protection,” Nicole de Moor announced during a briefing. Luxembourg along with its EU counterparts. “We need a strong European approach to achieve a strong income policy,” he added, lamenting the lack of cooperation from some sources.

subject to the obligation to leave the territory

In Belgium, the protection request filed by the Tunisian in autumn 2020 was “rejected for technical reasons”, Nicole de Moor told the Belgian delegation. The person concerned did not go to plead his case before the immigration services in Brussels. On March 4, 2021 he was placed under an Order to Leave the Territory (OQT), which was never implemented.

According to Nicole de Moore, the rejection of the asylum claim and the OQT – notified by registered letter – were never received by Abdesalem Lazout in her file, at an address in the Brussels commune of Sherbeek.

20 minutes with AFP