Belgium Revokes Citizenship of Two Moroccans for Syria Travel Deception

Belgium uses this procedure when an individual has seriously failed in their "obligations as a Belgian citizen," reports 7sur7. The Brussels Court of Appeal announced the withdrawal of nationality from the Belgian-Moroccan Aziz Hajoui, 45, who traveled to Syria in 2014 claiming he was going to the United States for a football coaching internship. To justify his lie, he obtained an official football coaching diploma from an approved Flemish institute.

His subterfuge was discovered when the authorities intercepted his messages and photos sent to his Moroccan wife in Belgium. She narrowly escaped deprivation after renouncing her trip to Syria.

The other Moroccan who was also stripped of his Belgian nationality is Mustapha Hajoui, who joined his brother Aziz in Syria. Back in Belgium after a few weeks, he told the judge that he had been worried about his brother and had gone to visit him. "I expected thanks and now I’m risking prison," he added.

While Mustapha was sentenced to 14 months in prison and a 6,000 euro fine, his elder brother Aziz was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison. As for Mounir Sbai, 45, a friend of Aziz Hajaoui, he received the same sentence as him.