AN ENDURING THREAT: EUROPE’S ISLAMIST TERROR NETWORKS THEN AND NOW 1.5 Zerkani Network KHALID ZERKANI Role: Zerkani ran a recruitment network in the Brussels area, using petty crime to fund the recruitment 369 of fighters for IS. He put potential jihadist fighters in contact with Turkish smugglers who would help 370 them reach Syria. Bio: Born in Zenata, Morocco, the 42-year-old Zerkani gained Belgian residency in 2002 after periods 371 spent living in Spain and the Netherlands. Operating from mosques in Molenbeek, he ran a network 372 aiming to radicalise and recruit young men to fight in Syria. Unemployed since at least 2010 and possibly earlier, he financed his recruitment efforts with the proceeds of petty theft of phones, cars, laptops and 373 374 cash. In 2012, Belgian police began an investigation into his network and arrests began in 2014. 375 Arrested in February 2014, Zerkani was found to be carrying a large quantity of money in multiple 376 currencies. He was jailed for 12 years in July 2015, and this was extended to 15 years in April 2016 by 377 an appeal court. Zerkani was due to be tried again in May 2016 in connection with a second group of 378 recruits sent to Syria, including Brussels attacker Najim Laachraoui, but the trial has since been 379 postponed until 5 September 2016. Foreign training/combat: 380 Zerkani has been described as a veteran of Afghan jihad. Movements: Unknown. Criminal history: Convicted for recruiting young men to travel to Syria and jailed for 12 years in July 2015. 381 This was extended to 15 years in April 2016 by an appeal court. Belgian authorities have also stated he 382 was involved in petty crime including shoplifting before becoming involved in recruitment. Known to the authorities: Under investigation since 2012, Zerkani has been in prison since his arrest in 383 February 2014. Networks and associates: -! Brussels attacks (March 2016): Najim Laachraoui [Described as an “associate” of Zerkani and 384 was due to go on trial in absentia alongside Zerkani in May 2016]. ! ! 369 ‘Khalid Zerkani, Brussels’ jihadist preacher who ‘perverted a generation’’, France 24, 26 March 2016. 370 ‘Brussels jihadists: Belgian recruiter Zerkani given longer term’, BBC News, 14 April 2016. 371 Higgins, A. and Kimiko De Freytas-Tamura, ‘A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry’, The New York Times, 11 April 2016, available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html?_r=0, last visited: 9 August 2016. 372 ‘Khalid Zerkani, Brussels’ jihadist preacher who ‘perverted a generation’’, France 24, 26 March 2016. 373 Dalton, M., ‘Investigators Home In on Scope of Terror Network Behind Brussels, Paris Attacks’, The Wall Street Journal, 4 April 2016. 374 ‘Khalid Zerkani, Brussels’ jihadist preacher who ‘perverted a generation’’, France 24, 26 March 2016. 375 Graham, C. et al., ‘Sources say Ibrahim el-Bakraoui was on US counterterrorism watch list before Paris attacks- live’ Daily Telegraph, 26 March 2016. 376 Dalton, M., ‘Investigators Home In on Scope of Terror Network Behind Brussels, Paris Attacks’, The Wall Street Journal, 4 April 2016. 377 ‘Brussels jihadists: Belgian recruiter Zerkani given longer term’, BBC News, 14 April 2016. 378 Dalton, M., ‘Investigators Home In on Scope of Terror Network Behind Brussels, Paris Attacks’, The Wall Street Journal, 4 April 2016. 379 ‘Le second procès de Khalid Zerkani pour terrorisme reporté au 5 septembre’, Medias de Bruxelles, 18 May 2016, available at: http://bx1.be/news/le-second- proces-de-khalid-zerkani-pour-terrorisme-reporte-au-5-septembre/, last visited: 9 August 2016. 380 ‘At least 8 suspects are at large with links to attacks in Brussels, Paris’, CNN, 28 March 2016. 381 ‘Brussels jihadists: Belgian recruiter Zerkani given longer term’, BBC News, 14 April 2016. 382 Higgins, A. and Kimiko De Freytas-Tamura, ‘A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry’, The New York Times, 11 April 2016. 383 Dalton, M., ‘Investigators Home In on Scope of Terror Network Behind Brussels, Paris Attacks’, The Wall Street Journal, 4 April 2016. 384 ‘Belgian court sentences jihadist recruiter to 15 years in prison’, France 24, 14 April 2016. ! ! 34 !