MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to RTL broadcaster, the addition of extra security was prompted by fears of an armed attempt to free the detained.
About half of the suspects will actually be present at the Palace of Justice on Wednesday, while the rest were tried in absentia. The organizers of the recruiting network face up to 30 years in prison. The remaining accused, from five to 15 years.
A central absent figure, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, is accused of creating a terrorist group and preparing to carry out terror attacks on the territory of Belgium. According to the prosecution, he is currently fighting with IS in Syria.
Islamic State is a militant group that took over large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014. The religious fundamentalist group, notorious for its multiple human rights atrocities, is actively recruiting foreigners from all around the world.
