Oslo District Court believes the accused 16-year-old boy from Syria still poses a terrorist threat

Oslo District CourtPhoto: Trond Reidar Teigen / NTB

The Oslo District Court decided to uphold the request of the Police Security Service (PST) for the continued imprisonment of the 16-year-old boy who is charged with making preparations for terrorist acts.

The boy’s latest prison meeting took place in Oslo District Court on Friday morning. The PST had announced in advance that they would request two new weeks of custody.

“In the court’s view, imprisonment is required to prevent the accused from committing terrorist acts,” the court noted.

The court further added that the 16-year-old seems so radicalized that he believes the killing of infidels is legitimate and that he was well underway with concrete preparations to commit terrorist acts when he was arrested. 

Even though the 16-year-old has been in custody for two weeks, the court cannot see signs that the boy has changed his views or intention or that he has been de-radicalized in any way.

“Imminent danger”

“The court believes that there is an imminent and concrete danger that the accused will continue the work of building up capacity to carry out terrorist acts… if he is released,” the court’s ruling states.

So far, the Syrian boy has not been questioned by investigators.

The boy’s defender, lawyer Andreas Berg Fevang, said before the prison hearing on Friday that he believes there is no good reason for suspicion and that the boy should be released.

Trial in May

Since the last prison hearing, the boy has been transferred to a separate juvenile prison at Eidsvoll, separated from other adult inmates.

“The charge concerns a very serious matter, and the court believes that releasing him could entail significant damage to the investigation and danger that the accused will continue preparations for terrorist acts,” the court writes.

There are special requirements for deadlines imposed on the police when they investigate criminal cases against children. 

During the prison hearing, the PST announced that they aim to have a trial against the 16-year-old in early May and that it will be completed in between 6 and 8 days.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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