Belgian fugitive caught in Rotterdam 8 years after escape

A Belgian fugitive was arrested in Rotterdam on Monday, eight years after he violently escaped from a Belgian prison. Mustapha L. is considered one of the most wanted criminals in Belgium, RTL Nieuws reports.

L. was sentenced to six years in prison. He and two other detainees escaped a Belgian prison on March 15th, 2009 by taking three prison guards hostage. The guards were overpowered during a walk and threatened with a knife. In order not to endanger their hostage colleagues, other guards let the three prisoners out of jail. They fled on foot.

One of the three escapees was caught two hours after the escape, the second a year later in France. 38-year-old L. was arrested in Rotterdam on Monday morning.

According to the Dutch police, L. has been living in the Netherlands under a false name for years. The police got wind of him when he had to give a DNA sample in another case.

L. will be extradited to Belgium as soon as possible.