Belgium examines Syrian’s asylum status over potential war crimes
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – After arresting a Syrian refugee last week suspected of committing war crimes under the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria, Belgium started on Tuesday an investigation over how he was granted an asylum status eight years ago.
Federal prosecutors told Belga news agency that the 38-year-old Syrian refugee was arrested over the executions of civilians who refused to swear allegiance to the jihadists [ISIS] near the city of Palmyra, central Syria.
“The asylum procedure serves to protect people threatened with war or persecution, not those who are guilty of war crimes,” said Nathalie de Moor, Belgium’s Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration.
De Moor added that the asylum status will be stripped if the suspect was proven to be guilty.
The role of the Syrian suspect, who fled Syria in 2015, within ISIS and his involvement in killings are yet to be determined.