Belgium Clears Path to Deport ’Black Widow of Jihad’ to Morocco

Born in Tangier, Malika El Aroud, now 60 years old, had already lost her Belgian citizenship in November 2017 for having been the leader of a terrorist group. On Friday, she was excluded from refugee status by the Council for Alien Law Litigation (CCE), the judges having considered that she could not claim international protection in view of the principles of the United Nations.

To try to convince the judges, her lawyers had pleaded the risk of torture in Morocco. "She is exposed to torture or inhuman and degrading treatment if she is sent back to Morocco," her lawyer had told the press.

Former wife of one of the assassins of Commander Massoud, Malika El Aroud had been convicted several times in Switzerland and Belgium for her public support for criminal organizations.

Belgium passed a law in May 2017 to facilitate the expulsion of criminals or "persons whose dangerous behavior has been proven and would pose a risk to national security." And Malika El Aroud lost her nationality under this law, as did other Moroccans like Fouad Belkacem, founder of Sharia4Belgium.