A 44-year-old man with extremist jihadist ties was sentenced to 30 months in prison by the Bruges court on Monday, April 14th, for preparing a terrorist attack and participating in the activities of the Islamic State (IS).
The man was scouting the area where the popular rock band Rammstein would perform. He was reportedly also searching the internet for “the most lethal firearm possible” and other weapons. Police recovered conversations between the man and his acquaintances discussing a “perfect moment” to attack—referring to the Rammstein concert in Ostend, where an estimated 50,000 fans would be present.
Overwhelming amounts of evidence tied the man to the Islamic State. He had contact with at least 16 other jihadists, saved over 100,000 extremist images, and declared his connection to the terrorist group in his personal messages by saying, “I want to fight for the Islamic State, my brother.”
The court system judged the man as low risk, meaning he gets to keep his job and support from his family, and is mandated to get psychological help from a professional. “He has a weak self-image and takes his cues from people with extreme views,” the verdict states. “He is impressionable and lacks introspective skills.”
