Belgium’s government said it wanted to revoke the refugee status of the head of a network supporting Palestinian prisoners, whom it accused of being an “extremist hate preacher.”
Mohammed Khatib is the coordinator in Europe for Samidoun, a controversial organization close to Palestinian Islamist groups that was banned in neighboring Germany after allegedly celebrating the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
Belgium’s Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor, announced that she had asked the immigration services to withdraw the refugee status of Khatib, whom she said was “known as an extremist hate preacher.”
“The asylum procedure is intended for people fleeing war or unjust persecution. There is no place for people who represent a danger to society,” she said.
“Even if someone has already been recognized as a refugee, if that person turns out to be an extremist, recognition can be withdrawn.”
De Moor said the request was based on “information provided by the security services,” without giving any further details.
