Wednesday, 21 January 2015 - 08:30
Utrecht terror suspect's partner in custody
Terrorist suspect Abdelmounaim Hadad (21) was arrested yesterday. Hadad surrendered to the police in the Belgian town of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, the federal prosecutor in Belgium reported. Authorities were searching for Hadad, along with Dutch terrorist suspect Zaid Koullis (18), in France and Spain. Both men are wanted in connection with the terrorist cell that was raided in Veviers on Thursday. The two supposedly fled together.
There is some confusion regarding Zaid Koullis. The Dutch Public Prosecutor stated yesterday that the photo of Koullis that is being spread by the Belgium police, does not resemble the photograph in his passport. The Prosecutor assumes that the person in the Belgium police photograph is someone else. Koullis' whereabouts is still unknown.
The police searched Koullis' family home in Utrecht yesterday. Laptops, papers and phones were confiscated. Koullis' parents reported him as missing in September. According to Mayor Jan van Zanen, the municipality and the Public Prosecutor have had regular contact with Koullis' family since he was reported missing. The mayor states that they are receiving the necessary support, RTV Utrecht reports.
The Dutch authorities the have launched a criminal investigation against Zaid Koullis.