Saïd Saouti Module (Jihadi Entity, Belgium)

Local Name: N/a
Transliteration: N/a
Alternatives: N/a
Status: 2012 – 2015 (Defeated)
Conflicts: European Islamist Militancy

The Saïd Saouti Module [SSM] was a small entity made up of Belgian jihadis of Moroccan descent. The cell grew out of a Muslim motorcycle club from the Laken suburb of Brussels.¹ The Kamikaze Riders motorcycle club was founded in 2003 by Saïd Saouti and Abdelouafi el-Ouassaki.² It reportedly had approximately 100 members.³ Several of the club’s associates were linked to a string of robberies in the Brussels’ suburb of Anderlecht in 2008 and 2009.⁴ The Kamikaze Riders were also connected to the notorious Brussels-based Versailles street gang.⁵

Over time, sections of the motorcycle club radicalized and some members became associated with the Shari’a for Belgium Movement [Sh4B].⁶ These individuals used the Kamikaze Riders’ online presence to spread jihadi propaganda.⁷ The Belgian authorities investigated the club in 2012, but found no indications of terrorist activity.⁸ Ouassaki died in a motorcycle crash in May 2013.⁹ By the, his brother Houssein el-Oussaki had already traveled to Syria to join the jihadi forces in the country.

Saïd Saouti became a radical Salafi preacher and gathered a small group of followers that became increasingly fascinated with jihad.¹⁰ To practice tactics, Saouti and his associates formed an airsoft group.¹¹ The few non-Muslim acquaintences of the Kamikaze Riders remarkably failed to notice this turn towards militancy.¹²

In late November 2015, Saïd Saouti and his associates decided to launch an attack in Belgium.¹³. The militants planned to shoot soldiers guarding Brussels’ historic central square, before attacking a nearby police station on New Year’s Eve.¹⁴ The Belgian authorities were tipped off on the SSM’s activities in early December 2015.¹⁵ Investigations were opened and official New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Belgian capital were canceled in response.¹⁶

Police arrested Saouti and his deputy on Dec. 27, 2015.¹⁷ Other alleged cadres of the cell were rounded up in the following days, although these men were all freed shortly afterwards.¹⁸ Saouti and one of his associates were brought to trial in September 2016.¹⁹ The court sentenced Saouti to six years in prison on Oct. 20, 2016.²⁰

References[+]

References
↑1	Redactie – “Opgepakte terreurverdachten lid van Brusselse motorbende“, by Denny Baert (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑2	JONES, Alexandra – “Transformers: Motorcycle gangs and extremism“, on: Foreign Intrigue (Aug. 28, 2014), link; Libre Belgique – “Saïd Souati, l’homme qui voulait commettre un attentat à Bruxelles” (Dec. 29, 2015), link; Libre Belgique – “Kamikaze Riders: Simples motards ou candidats djihadistes?” (Sep. 12, 2016), 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.
↑3	Standaard – “Lid Kamikaze Riders: Pijn aan het hart dat naam van de motorclub besmeurd wordt” (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑4	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; 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.
↑5	Telegraph – “Belgian bikers arrested over plot for Paris-style attacks at New Year“, by Richard Spencer & David Chazan (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑6	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 – “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.
↑7	Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link & Redactie – “Opgepakte terreurverdachten lid van Brusselse motorbende“, by Denny Baert (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑8	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 & Redactie – “Opgepakte terreurverdachten lid van Brusselse motorbende“, by Denny Baert (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑9	Redactie – “Opgepakte terreurverdachten lid van Brusselse motorbende“, by Denny Baert (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑10	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.
↑11	Gazet van Antwerpen – “Kamikaze Rider had duizenden verdachte foto’s op gsm” (Sep. 13, 2016), link.
↑12	Dernière Heure – “Sous mandat d’arrêt, Mohamed Karay nie toute implication dans la préparation d’attentats” (Dec. 30, 2015), link; Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link & Standaard – “Lid Kamikaze Riders: Pijn aan het hart dat naam van de motorclub besmeurd wordt” (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑13	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.
↑14	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; 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 & Standaard – “Lid Kamikaze Riders: Pijn aan het hart dat naam van de motorclub besmeurd wordt” (Dec. 30, 2015), link.
↑15	Morgen – “Ik ben de eerste vijand van de extremisten” (Sep. 12, 2016), link.
↑16	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.
↑17	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.
↑18	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.
↑19	Dernière Heure – “Peines de 3 à 7 Ans de prison requises à l’encontre des Kamikaze Riders” (Sep. 13, 2016), link; Libre Belgique – “Menaces d’attentat à Bruxelles: les trois dernières personnes arrêtées ont été libérées” (Dec. 31, 2015), link & Radio Télévision Luxembourg – “Riders nie être un musulman extrémiste” (Sep. 12, 2016), link.
↑20	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 Module (Jihadi Entity, Belgium)

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