BRUSSELS – One of 13 Palestinians expelled from Israel in May 2002 following the Bethlehem Basilica siege was arrested along with seven others during a police raid in the Brussels region Tuesday.

Khalil Mouhammad Abdallah al-Nawawreh, 25, was arrested on suspicion of involvement in two bomb attacks carried out on post offices in Brakel and Court-Saint-Etienne in February 2003, where burglars managed to escape with EUR 213,000.

Two of the eight apprehended were sent to appear before Audenarde court, and two to a Brussels court.

Al-Nawawreh had been working in Belgium as a mason, was a football fan and activist in the military group Tanzim-Fatah.

He had been under high surveillance upon his arrival but police interest in the man was later relaxed as he was not thought to be a threat to the community.

[Copyright Expatica News 2003]

Subject: Belgian news