Belgium: Prison Furloughs for Terrorist

There is outrage in Belgium and France over the granting of prison furlough to a man convicted both in France and Belgium for his involvement in two terror attacks, one an attack on a train from Amsterdam to Paris, and more importantly, the infamous November 2015 attacks in Paris that claimed the lives of some 130 people.

 Mohamed Bakkali was involved not only in the logistics and preparation of the November 2015 Paris attacks (Bataclan etc), but also in an incident in August 2015 where a Moroccan named Ayoub El Khazzani attempted a terror attack with a gun on a Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris, in which three US servicemen helped subdue the attacker. Though the attack occurred on French soil and was tried in France, Belgium also charged Bakkali for his logistical involvement based on the fact that the attacker boarded the train in Brussels. Bakkali was arrested in Belgium and charged with heading a terrorist organization. He was sent back to France to be tried for the Paris attacks of November 2015, but on the condition that he be returned to Belgium after that trial.  Unfortunately, sentencing provisions in Belgium are considerably more lenient than in France. A Belgian court has ruled that Bakkali is entitled to six 36-hour furloughs.

The article below from the French-language site, RTL Belgium is translated by Fousesquawk.

Mohamed Bakkali, logistical coordinator of the Paris attacks, will be able to leave prison despite his 25-30 year sentence in prison. How is this possible?

-By Gwendeline Delieux

May 20, 2026 at 07:02

Sentenced to a lengthy term of imprisonment in France for his role in the thwarted Thalys (train) attack and those of November 13, 2015 in Paris, Mohamed Bakkali will, nevertheless, benefit from prison leaves in Belgium. That is a possibility due to the Belgian sentencing regulations, more flexible than those in effect in France, which will allow him to apply for an adjusted sentence after (serving) one-third of his imprisonment.

 Convicted for his logistical role in the terrorist cell responsible for the thwarted attack on the Thalys Amsterdam-Paris train in August 2015, then the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015, Mohamed Bakkali is about to benefit from 6 prison leaves, our colleagues at Sudinfo reveal. The 39-year-old man, originally from Verviers (Belgium), is for now, held at the Iltre prison, but has been sentenced in France: 25 years of imprisonment for the thwarted Thalys attack, and 30 years imprisonment with a minimum 2/3s time to be served for the Paris attacks. 

Had he served his sentence in France, he would not have been able to benefit from an adjustment of sentence before having served 2/3 of the sentence, thus 20 years in prison. But in Belgium, he can apply for prison leave after 1/3, that is, 10 years.

Six 36-hour leaves 

Mohamed Bakkali, thus, is entitled to six prison leaves of a maximum 36 hours each. The decision was made by the Brussels Sentencing Enforcement Court against the advice of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. 

In its reasoning, the court finds that he has taken steps to find employment and lodging, that he is behaving in a calm and respectful manner, and that his wife is enthusiastic about welcoming him back.

Source: http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2026/05/belgium-prison-furloughs-for-terrorist.html