Police reconstruct Brussels mp3 murder

8 May 2006

BRUSSELS — A police reconstruction of the stabbing murder of teenager Joe Van Holsbeeck took place at Brussels Central station on Sunday night.

Some 30 federal police officers sealed the station off with crush barriers. Station windows were also sealed off to ensure privacy. Police took two hours to re-enact the 12 April killing.

Two people were brought separately to the station for the reconstruction. The first arrived at about 12.40am on Monday and is believed to be the friend of Van Holsbeeck who was with him at the time of the stabbing.

A second person was taken by car to the train station an hour later. That person is believed to be the Polish youth being held by Belgian police in connection with the stabbing.

The main suspect is still being held in Poland after his arrest on 27 April.

Meanwhile, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt visited Poland this weekend and said the 17-year-old in Polish custody could serve his sentence in his own country.

A Warsaw court judge will decide, however, on 31 May whether the youth can be extradited to Belgium for trial.

The judge wants to first determine whether Belgium will try the youth as a juvenile or an adult.

Subject: Belgian news