On Wednesday morning, the federal judicial police in Antwerp carried out house searches and arrested five people who allegedly functioned as a “private security service” of the El H. family. They allegedly kidnapped and severely beaten two boys. The El H. family and the family’s properties and possessions have been harassed for some time. There would be a quarrel in the drug environment.
Guards
After attacks against their home in Deken De Winterstraat, the El H. family had hired a group of men as guards. These guards are now suspected of kidnapping and assaulting two people who planned another attack.
According to the Antwerp public prosecutor’s office, on the night of August 9, a group of young people planned to throw a firebomb at a building in the Van Lissumstraat in Deurne. That night of 9 August, the suspected attackers are said to have been kidnapped in the Wipstraat in Antwerp. They were taken to a location where they were held, beaten and tortured. They were eventually released.
A few weeks ago, photos and videos of the kidnapping and assault surfaced in the media. The images circulating in the crime scene are shocking. Two boys were gagged on the floor, their wrists, ankles, eyes and mouth covered with tape. The face of one of them was swollen. In another video, the two were seen completely naked.
Shocking
This morning, suspects were arrested and searches were carried out in Berchem, Borsbeek, Deurne and Steenokkerzeel. The investigating judge will decide later on Wednesday which of the suspects will be detained longer.
The Berchem family El H. owned, among other things, the now closed pancake house Stacks Pancakes in the Volkstraat in South.
On Wednesday, three Dutchmen were arrested who may have caused an explosion at a building close to the center of Antwerp.
