ISIS suspect lied about terrorism to get women in bed: lawyer

Suspected jihadist Mohamed B. only claimed to support terrorist organization Islamic State to seduce women. His statements about wanting to travel to an ISIS area was never intended to be taken seriously. This is according to B.'s lawyer André Seebregts, De Telegraaf reports. He said this in response to reports from Moroccan authorities that B. was part of a Moroccan ISIS-cell and that he wanted to use bombs and firearms against the security forces in the Netherlands. "If he is part of a cell, it is a cell engaged in decorating beautiful women." Seebregts said. Seebregts pointed to chat messages between B. and with women. "He sees that the woman is wearing a niqab on the Facebook photo, he begins with somewhat pious words. Soon thereafter he makes clear that he is a brave mujaheddin, and then he tries to talk them out of their clothes and/or starts talking about sex." He would also tell women that he has been in Libya for combat training to impress them. Seebregts stated that B. has never actually been in Libya, never mind that he ever followed a combat training course there. According to the lawyer, B. "never thought for a second that his flirting and fantasizing would land him in the terrorist department", where B. has been for six months already. Seebregts said he knew nothing about B.'s alleged membership in a Moroccan terrorist cell and that there is nothing in his file about it. Muhamed B., now 27, is set to appear in the court in Rotterdam today. B. was arrested in October last year on suspicion of developing a plot to injure police officers, Elsevier reported. It is not known if he is the same person as a 26-year-old Moroccan-born man who was caught last year in a scheme to attack the police in Amsterdam. B. came to the General Intelligence and Security Service's (AIVD) attention after posting a query on the internet for instructions on how to make a bomb. In January the court in Rotterdam ruled that B. would remain in custody until his trial.