Terrorists’ goods should also be seized

Terrorists often use immovable or movable property to prepare and commit their crimes. A judge cannot confiscate those, even though doing so is sometimes necessary in order to definitively disband a terrorist group. It is currently already possible for crimes such as human trafficking, slave-running or prostitution. This involves a fundamental error in logic. With its own bill, the N-VA seeks to tackle this issue now.

Current legislation also stipulates that the defendant must be the owner of the confiscated goods. Once again, there are no exceptions to this regarding terrorists. For example, it is the opinion of the NVA that seizure of a vehicle that is loaned to terrorists to bring them to the place of the attack, or a safe house that has been rented to them, should also be seized. This would mean that sympathisers would be less inclined to stick their necks out for terrorists.

Also after sale

Because terrorists can sell the goods that they use for their crimes, the bill also enables the judge to retroactively confiscate any monetary proceeds from the sale of these goods. That is currently already sanctioned for cases of exploitation by landlords, human trafficking, slave-running and prostitution.