Wanted Belgium solider turns out to be unsuspecting German hiker
Police in Groningen rushed to the Selwerderhof cemetery on Friday night after the fugitive Belgium soldier, Jürgen Conings, was believed to have been spotted there.
The man who was sitting near the cemetery in a “full outdoor outfit with equipment” turned out to be an innocent German hiker. Police had received several reports from people who mistook the hiker for Conings.
“He certainly had similarities with Conings”, the district team Groningen-West wrote on Instagram. “We explained to the hiker why his appearance caused unrest. He was completely unaware of the situation.”
The hiker was able to continue on his trek shortly after, RTV Noord reported.
Conings is a Belgium soldier with suspected extreme-right-wing tendencies who has been on the run since May 17. The 46-year-old stole heavy weaponry from military barracks before going on the run. In letters, he wrote before his disappearance Conings threatened among others Belgium virologist, Marc van Ranst.
On Thursday, a Belgian media outlet reported that a black backpack containing a “significant amount of ammunition” with great likelihood belonged to Conings. Medicine in the backpack had also been found earlier in the Belgian soldier’s car.