Belgians Just Can't Stop Shooting Themselves in the Foot

Terrorist leader, 35, is allowed to MARRY while in prison in Belgium in a move that could stop him being deported back to Morocco

By Chris Pleasance for MailOnline

Fouad Belkacem, 35, Belgium's most notorious jihadi recruiter, has been allowed to marry the mother of his children from jail

Belgium's most notorious terror recruiter has been allowed to marry the mother of his three children from behind bars.

Fouad Belkacem, 35, wed the woman in Hasselt prison several weeks ago in a move that activists and politicians fear could stop him being deported back to Morocco.

Under the alias of Abu Imran, Belkacem ran the Islamist website Sharia4Belgium which aimed to turn the European nation into an Islamic state.

Belkacem openly praised Osama bin Laden and called for the implementation of sharia law, including the death penalty for homosexuals.

He also spent years recruiting jihadist fighters and encouraging them to go and fight in Syria against Bashar al-Assad.

In early 2015 Belkacem was sentenced to twelve years behind bars and handed a £26,000 fine by a court in Antwerp.

Belgian authorities have already started a procedure to strip him of his passport and nationality, which would mean he would be deported after serving his sentence.

Campaigners fear the marriage will stop Belkacem, who ran the terror website Sharia4Belgium, being deported back to his native Morocco

Antwerp alderwoman Zuhal Demir revealed she denied permission for the marriage three times before local authorities approved the union.

In a furious Facebook post, Ms Demir said: 'He detests our laws but used them to legally to marry. To what end?

'We owe this unscrupulous gentleman nothing. I hope that deportation after jail time is still possible.'

Ms Demir, whose parents are Alevi Kurds from Turkey, branded the affair 'a painful missed opportunity.'