Saïd Saouti (Jihadi Militant, Belgium)

APPREHENDED

Full name: Saïd Saouti
Pseudonym: Abu Chaïb
Alternatives: Saïd Kamikaze, Saïd Delta Box III
Location: Belgium
Affiliation: Saïd Saouti Module [SSM]

Saïd Saouti is a Belgian jihadi of Moroccan descent from the Brussels’ suburb of Anderlecht. He was also reportedly active as a radical Salafi preacher.¹ Saouti was a vocal supporter of late al-Qa’ida ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki and maintained contacts with other Salafi extremists in France and Switzerland.² He was also linked to members of the infamous Khalid Zerkani-aligned Aberkane family.³

Saouti cofounded the Kamikaze Riders motorcycle club along with Abdelouafi el-Ouassaki in 2003.⁴ Partially under his influence, a large section of the club’s members became adherents of radical Salafism. In 2008 and 2009, Saouti and other members of the club were involved in a string of robberies in the Anderlecht suburb before they were arrested by police.⁵ A Belgian court sentenced him to six years in prison in 2009.⁶ While serving his sentence, many members of the Kamikaze Riders became followers of the Shari’a for Belgium Movement [Sh4B].⁷ Saouti was freed in July 2014.⁸ Upon his release, he rejoined his radical companions and established contacts with jihadis fighting in Syria.⁹

In November 2015, Saouti and a few associates began plotting an attack in Belgium.¹⁰ They planned to shoot soldiers guarding the historical central square in Brussels, before launching an attack on a nearby police station on New Year’s Eve.¹¹ The authorities were tipped off however in advance and canceled official celebrations.¹² On Dec. 27, 2015, Saouti and his deputy were arrested by police.¹³ Security forces also rounded up several other associates, but released them shortly afterwards.¹⁴

Due to the lack of concrete evidence, the authorities dropped several accusations against Saouti.¹⁵ He was brought to trial on terrorism charges in September 2016.¹⁶ The court convicted Saouti and sentenced him to six years in prison on Oct. 20, 2016.¹⁷

References[+]

References
↑1	JONES, Alexandra – “Transformers: Motorcycle Gangs and Extremism“, on: Foreign Intrigue (Aug. 28, 2014), link; Laatste Nieuws – “Motorfreak, pleger van gewapende overvallen, jihadist en actieve terrorist: Said was het allemaal” (Dec. 30, 2015), link & Libre Belgique – “Saïd Souati, l’homme qui voulait commettre un attentat à Bruxelles” (Dec. 29, 2015), link.
↑2	JONES, Alexandra – “Transformers: Motorcycle Gangs and Extremism“, on: Foreign Intrigue (Aug. 28, 2014), link; Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link & Telegraph – “Belgian Bikers Arrested over Plot for Paris-style Attacks at New Year“, by Richard Spencer & David Chazan (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑3	Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link.
↑4	JONES, Alexandra – “Transformers: Motorcycle Gangs and Extremism“, on: Foreign Intrigue (Aug. 28, 2014), link; Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link & Standaard – “Kamikaze Riders niet langer vervolgd voor plannen van aanslag” (Jun. 24, 2016), link.
↑5	Capitale – “Saïd Saouti, un proche de Sharia4Belgium et Mohamed Karay sont les deux hommes soupçonnés d’avoir préparé un attentat sur la Grand Place de Bruxelles” (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑6	JONES, Alexandra – “Transformers: Motorcycle Gangs and Extremism“, on: Foreign Intrigue (Aug. 28, 2014), link; Dernière Heure – “Kamikaze Riders, itinéraire d’un groupe radicalisé” (Dec. 31, 2015), link; Laatste Nieuws – “Motorfreak, pleger van gewapende overvallen, jihadist en actieve terrorist: Said was het allemaal” (Dec. 30, 2015), link; Libre Belgique – “Kamikaze Riders: Samouraïs du bitume ou radicalisés?“, by Jacques Laruelle (Dec. 31, 2015), link & Telegraph – “Belgian Bikers Arrested over Plot for Paris-style Attacks at New Year“, by Richard Spencer & David Chazan (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑7	JONES, Alexandra – “Transformers: Motorcycle Gangs and Extremism“, on: Foreign Intrigue (Aug. 28, 2014), link; Business FM Television – “Bruxelles a échappé à un attentat la nuit du Nouvel An“, by Céline Hussonnois Alaya (Jan. 05, 2016), link; Libre Belgique – “Saïd Souati, l’homme qui voulait commettre un attentat à Bruxelles” (Dec. 29, 2015), link; Libre Belgique – “Kamikaze Riders: Samouraïs du bitume ou radicalisés?“, by Jacques Laruelle (Dec. 31, 2015), link; Libre Belgique – “Kamikaze Riders: Simples Motards ou Candidats Djihadistes?” (Sep. 12, 2016), link & Redactie – “Afscheidsbrief gevonden bij terreurverdachte van Kamikaze Riders“,by Gianni Paelinck & Jos De Greef (Jan. 04, 2016), link.
↑8	Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link.
↑9	Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link.
↑10	Capitale – “Saïd Saouti, un proche de Sharia4Belgium et Mohamed Karay sont les deux hommes soupçonnés d’avoir préparé un attentat sur la Grand Place de Bruxelles” (Dec. 30, 2015), link & Redactie – “Opgepakte terreurverdachten lid van Brusselse motorbende“, by Denny Baert (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑11	Capitale – “Saïd Saouti, un proche de Sharia4Belgium et Mohamed Karay sont les deux hommes soupçonnés d’avoir préparé un attentat sur la Grand Place de Bruxelles” (Dec. 30, 2015), link; Brussels Times – “Preparation for Brussels Attack: Suspects’ Custody Extended“, by Christopher Vincent (Jan. 29, 2016), link; Business FM Television – “Bruxelles a échappé à un attentat la nuit du Nouvel An“, by Céline Hussonnois Alaya (Jan. 05, 2016), link; Redactie – “Opgepakte terreurverdachten lid van Brusselse motorbende“, by Denny Baert (Dec. 30, 2015), link & Standaard – “Kamikaze Riders niet langer vervolgd voor plannen van aanslag” (Jun. 24, 2016), link.
↑12	Gazet van Antwerpen – “Kamikaze Rider had duizenden verdachte foto’s op gsm” (Sep. 13, 2016), link & Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link.
↑13	Dernière Heure – “Peines de 3 à 7 Ans de Prison Requises à l’encontre des Kamikaze Riders” (Sep. 13, 2016), link; Libre Belgique – “Saïd Saouti des Kamikaze Riders voulait attaquer la population belge comme à Paris” (Sep. 12, 2016), link; Redactie – “Afscheidsbrief gevonden bij terreurverdachte van Kamikaze Riders“, by Gianni Paelinck & Jos De Greef (Jan. 04, 2016), link & Standaard – “Kamikaze Riders niet langer vervolgd voor plannen van aanslag” (Jun. 24, 2016), link.
↑14	Capitale – “Saïd Saouti, un proche de Sharia4Belgium et Mohamed Karay sont les deux hommes soupçonnés d’avoir préparé un attentat sur la Grand Place de Bruxelles” (Dec. 30, 2015), link; Libre Belgique – “Menaces d’attentat à Bruxelles: les trois dernières personnes arrêtées ont été libérées” (Dec. 31, 2015), link & Telegraph – “Belgian Bikers Arrested over Plot for Paris-style Attacks at New Year“, by Richard Spencer & David Chazan (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑15	Capitale – “Menace terroriste: les Kamikaze Riders ne sont plus poursuivis pour planification d’attentat” (Jun. 24, 2016), link & Standaard – “Kamikaze Riders niet langer vervolgd voor plannen van aanslag” (Jun. 24, 2016), link.
↑16	Dernière Heure – “Peines de 3 à 7 Ans de Prison Requises à l’encontre des Kamikaze Riders” (Sep. 13, 2016), link; Libre Belgique – “Saïd Saouti des Kamikaze Riders voulait attaquer la population belge comme à Paris” (Sep. 12, 2016), link & Radio Télévision Luxembourg – “Riders nie être un musulman extrémiste” (Sep. 12, 2016), link.
↑17	Laatste Nieuws – “Kamikaze Riders Saïd Saouti en Mohamed Kerai krijgen 6 en 3 jaar cel voor terrorisme” (Oct. 20, 2016), link & Redactie – “Zes en drie jaar cel voor twee Kamikaze Riders“, by Rik Arnoudt (Oct. 20, 2016), link.

Saïd Saouti (Jihadi Militant, Belgium)

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories