Terror Suspect Arrested in Spanish Enclave; Terror Trial Begins in Belgium
FOSTER: Authorities in Spain and Belgium are dealing with two cases of homegrown terrorism. The alleged leader of a militant cell with ties to ISIS is in custody. Mohamed Said Mohamed in the Spanish territory of Melilla in northern Morocco. Nima Elbagir joins us from the Spanish enclave with more details on this. Do we know about this problem in that area?</s>NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Spanish authorities say, Max, that 51 Spaniards, many from here in Melilla, have made their way to Iraq and Syria to fight alongside ISIS. In fact, the Spanish judge, when he read out his five-page ruling regarding the continued remanding in custody of Mohamed Said, said that he believed that two of the alleged cell members from here in Melilla are already on their way to Syria and Iraq, had actually escaped capture. The concern, of course, is that Melilla is where Europe meets Africa. This is a huge point of vulnerability in so-called fortress Europe. It's best known, of course, for those famous pictures of sub-Saharan migrants storming that perimeter fence that separates Melilla from the rest of northern Morocco. It really gives you a sense of how much worry is building up, not just in Spain, but across Europe. We spoke with some of those refugees detained here at the center here in Melilla about how they came up into Melilla from Algiers, from Morocco, and they all tell a very similar tale. They say that they were able to obtain falsified Moroccan passports. They got through the legitimate crossing point, and then they claimed asylum here in Melilla. And that's got to be very, very worrying for the authorities in Europe, and very, very worrying given that the Moroccan authorities, the Interior Ministry, have said that they believe 1500 to 2,000 Moroccans have made their way to fight alongside ISIS, Max.</s>FOSTER: And an indication of how closely authorities in multiple countries, multiple agencies are actually working together right now on this threat.</s>ELBAGIR: This was a joint Spanish-Moroccan operation. So, the alleged cell leader, Mohamed Said, was picked up here in Melilla, and then eight more were picked up across the border in Morocco, in Nador. And this isn't the first one. There have been four separate operations and 24 arrests. This isn't even the first time Mohamed Said was picked up. There have been allegations for a while that he's been involved in other criminal activities. But everyone we speak to, whether on the Moroccan side or here on the Spanish side, they're saying the same thing, Max. It's not enough. We are not able to do enough. There needs to be a greater cooperation and a greater recognizability of the -- recognition of the fact that Melilla is such a point of vulnerability. And just going back to that point of what we've been hearing from the refugees, that route that they described to us, coming up from Algeria, through Morocco, and then here to Melilla. That's the same route that many of these alleged ISIS militants are believed to be taking in the opposite direction to Syria and Iraq. And it's also the route that Jund al-Khilafah, the Algerian militant group that's allied itself with ISIS, that's the route they're threatening to take up here towards Europe. So, this really is increasingly becoming a bigger focal point for the fight against militancy, Max.</s>FOSTER: Nima, thank you very much, indeed. And on that note, it's being called one of the biggest terror trials that Belgium has ever seen. Nearly four dozen people are facing charges for terrorism-related activity there. Many are accused of belonging to an extremist group called Sharia4Belgium. Atika Shubert has the details of the trial.</s>ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, this is one of the first major trials to actually target those fighters traveling from Europe into Syria and Iraq. There are 46 defendants in all, so it's a big case. But only 10 showed up in court today, and that's because the rest of them are either still fighting out there or are believed to have been killed in the conflict. Now, we had a chance to speak with the father of one of those fighters who has returned and is now testifying in court. Take a listen.</s>SHUBERT (voice-over): Islamist fighters in Syria, but speaking Flemish, easily identifying them as Belgian. The government estimates that more than 300 Belgian fighters like these have traveled to Syria to join the ranks of militant groups like ISIS. Nearly a quarter of those are believed to have links to this man, Fouad Belkacem, the head of Sharia4Belgium, a banned Islamic extremist group based in Antwerp. Now, Belkacem is the main suspect in the country's biggest terror trial, accused of leading a terrorist organization and recruiting young Muslims to its cause. The father of one recruit says Belkacem brainwashed his son into joining a cult.</s>DIMITRI BONTNICK, FATHER OF JIHADIST RECRUIT: He prepared them to make the jihad in conflict areas like Syria. It's like a kind of drug, like an injection in your arm.</s>SHUBERT: Dimitri Bontnick's anger is understandable. His son, Jejoen, was recruited by Sharia4Belgium at just 16 years old. In their videos, he is seated next to Belkacem and is featured as one of their most popular street preachers in Antwerp. But Jejoen was no ordinary recruit. He eventually traveled to Syria, joining Majilis as-Shura al-Mujahidin, a group of foreign fighters ultimately absorbed by ISIS. After nearly a year inside, his father tracked him down in Syria and convinced him to come home and, incredibly, to tell Belgian police everything he knew about jihadist recruitment to Syria, despite death threats from former Sharia4Belgium members.</s>BONTNICK: My son gave very good cooperation. He told the truth, how he was influenced by this sect. Because he's the golden crown witness. Without my son, they have nothing today.</s>SHUBERT: Now Jejoen is a key witness against Belkacem, even as he faces charges himself of being a member of a terrorist organization. But Dimitri Bontnick insists Belkacem is not the only one to blame.</s>SHUBERT (on camera): So, do you blame Belkacem?</s>BONTNICK: I don't blame only Belkacem. I blame the Western governments also, because they have blood on their hands also.</s>SHUBERT: Because they didn't arrest him?</s>BONTNICK: They didn't arrest Belkacem. They know that the Belkacem was recruiting and selecting Western children. If there was no Sharia4Belgium, my son would never have been -- gone to Syria. There is no doubt about this. Let us be clear about this.</s>SHUBERT (voice-over): CNN has attempted to contact Sharia4Belgium and Belkacem's lawyer. We have not received a response. But over the next few days and weeks, his story will unfold in court.</s>SHUBERT: Now, Fouad Belkacem faces up to 15 years maximum, and Jejoen Bontnick could get 5 years. But we don't expect a verdict for about another month yet. Max?</s>FOSTER: Atika Shubert, there. Now, live from Abu Dhabi, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. Do stay with us. Your Parting Shots are next.