6 June 2008

BELGIUM - Two former members of the far-left terrorist group CCC (Cellules Communistes Combattantes) have been detained by the police for having contact with other CCC members.

Bertrand Sassoye and Pierre Carette, who were both sentenced to life imprisonment in October 1988, were released on parole in July 2000 and October 2003.

The Brussels Judicial Authorities spokesman Jos Colpain said Sassoye had failed to inform the parole board that he had moved and that he had travelled abroad without permission.

Both Carette and Sassoye have also been in contact with each other as well as with other CCC members.

The conditions of their parole forbid them from having contact with anyone else convicted of crimes related to the CCC.

The CCC was a far-left terror group that carried out several bomb attacks in Belgium during the mid-1980's. The attacks were aimed at military and political targets.

Carette and Sassoye were arrested along with two other CCC members on 16 December 1985 at fast food restaurant in Namur.

The judicial authorities have searched the offices of the Francophone public broadcaster RTBF as part of their investigation.

A female journalist was taken away for questioning.

The RTBF stresses that this is a personal matter for the journalist and that the public broadcaster has nothing to do with the affair.

[flandersnews.be / Expatica]