The trial has got underway at the Court of Assizes in the Limburg town of Tongeren of those accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old boy and demanding ransom money of 5 million euro for his release. The boy was held for 42 days but suffered no physical injury. A total of 8 men, all of whom already have criminal records are standing trial.
It was exactly 5 years ago that what became one of the longest-ever kidnappings in Belgian legal history began. A 13-year-old boy was taken from his parents’ home in Genk (Limburg Province) during the night and a ransom of 5 million euro was demanded for his release. 42 days later the boy walked home unharmed. The 8 man standing trial for the kidnapping have all have criminal records.
The case is like something out of a film. However, for the then 13-year-old victim what happened was all-too real. During the night of 20 April 2020 4 masked and armed men entered the boy's family home in Genk. The said that they are police officers and they were wearing jackets marked “police”. They also had orange police armbands. Given that the father of the family has been involved in narcotics, a police raid of the family home was not unthinkable. The boy’s father and his mother were roughed up and forced to lie on the ground.
It soon became clear that this was not a police raid. The men’s footwear (trainers and white socks) betrayed the fact that they were not real policemen. The couple were told that they needed to pay 5 million euro within 48 hours if they wanted to see their oldest son again. The father suggested that they take him instead. However, the kidnappers point to his electronic tag and say that this will not be possible. They leave a mobile phone that will be used to finalise the money drop.
Netflix and fast food
The 13-year-old was made to put on darked ski glasses to prevent him from seeing. On the way to the house where he was to be held headphones were put on the boy and loud rock music played in order to disorientate him. During the more than 40 days that he was in captivity the boy was held at 3 different locations. He had access to Netflix and PlayStation and was fed fast food such as pizza or chips.
Never hit and given food when he asked for it
The boy’s parents were contacted several times by the kidnappers on one occasion they were sent a photograph of their son lying bound, masked and naked on a bed. However, after his released the boy said that he was never hit by his kidnappers, and they gave him food whenever he asked for it.
Although the food “wasn’t very healthy”. He also said that he was never scared, except for on the last day that he was in captivity and he heard guns and thought he was going to die.
“Money, or his fingers or his hand”
Probably believing that the family was very rich through drug trafficking, the kidnappers demanded 5 million euro ransom money. They said that they would kill the boy if the family called the police. Nevertheless, the father went to the police a couple of hours after his son was taken. While he was with the police, he received the first instructions about handing over the money.
Several more calls followed and the father told the kidnappers that he had 172,000 euro ready. The kidnapper became aggressive and said that things would “turn bad” if he came with less than 500,000 euro. Threats were made to cut of one of the boy’s fingers or even his hand.
On 7 May, a first payment was left in a bag by the boy’s mother. The bag contained cash and gold worth a total of 270,000 euro. A second payment of 30,000 euro followed. Although this was well short of the 5 million euro originally demanded by the kidnappers the boy was released. Despite having lost 6kg he was in good health.
Muslim extremist
About an hour after the boy's release, special units from the federal police go into action. They raid several properties and find jewelry, gold bars and cash that were part of the ransom paid. They also arrest several suspects.
Among those arrested is a Muslim extremist from Maaseik (Limburg Province) Khalid Bouloudo. He has previous convictions and was part of “Group of Maaseik”. He allegedly had links to the GICM, the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group that is linked to the attack in Madrid on 11 March 2004.
Apart from 50-year-old Bouloudo, seven others are on trial: his 56-year-old brother Aziz and three brothers from Antwerp: 41-year-old Mohamed L., 31-year-old Abderrahman L. and 29-year-old Yassine L. In addition to them, Omar L. from the Netherlands, 36-year-old Gulhan Y. from Zutendaal (Limburg Province) and 41-year-old Yousef A. from Houthalen (Limburg Province) are also on trial for the kidnapping.