Turkey deports ISIL-sympathizer girl with baby to Belgium

Güven Özalp – BRUSSELS

Ankara authorities have deported a girl sympathizing with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) with her baby to Belgium after finding out that she was being sought in her home country and was in Turkey.

Firdaous Bouhaltite Soulaimane, 14, fled Belgian capital Brussel’s Uccle district on May 24 and was unheard of ever since, until Turkish authorities apprehended her in Turkey, before extraditing her on Oct. 21.

Initial news of Soulaimane being spotted in Turkey were reported in the Belgian media on Aug. 28, but they weren’t followed by any other developments.

The girl was caught on Oct. 10 by Turkish authorities and was determined to have given birth in Turkey, which prompted authorities to question whether she was in the country for the entire period of her pregnancy.

Soulaimane’s older sister was previously arrested over terror charges upon returning to Belgium from Syria, where she traveled to join armed groups.

An investigation whether she crossed into Syria and acted in coordination with ISIL has been ongoing.

Brussels authorities are also evaluating whether Soulaimane left Belgium after getting influenced by an extremist man.

In September, several reports said Soulaimane crossed into Syria with Mehdi Atid, an extremist who was sentenced to wearing an electronic bracelet, after fleeing Belgium with him. However, the reports weren’t confirmed by Brussels authorities.

No information on the whereabouts of Atid and his three-year-old daughter, who he took with, was obtained since they went missing.