Nine US dignitaries oppose the Belgian-Iranian prisoner transfer treaty

In a letter to president of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Eliane Tillieux, Former FBI Director Louis J. Freeh, former National Security Advisor James L. Jones and seven other US dignitaries denounced the proposed Belgian-Iranian prisoner transfer treaty that will be discussed in an urgent procedure in a Belgian Parliamentary committee on Tuesday morning (10 a.m CET).

"This Treaty will be used by Tehran to immediately have the terrorist cell activated in 2018 to attack the National Council of Resistance to Iran rally in France, and their Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) handler Assadolah Assadi, returned to Iran," the nine prominent US citizens write.

The fear is that the treaty opens the door for the transfer and eventual release of Assadollah Assadi, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Belgium last year for his role in the foiled Paris bombing. Former FBI director Freeh was present himself when the attack was foiled in Paris in 2018.

The Belgium-Iran treaty would allow a person sentenced on Belgian territory to be transferred to Iranian territory and vice versa. Opposition party N-VA (Flemish nationalists) has asked whether the intention is to exchange Assadollah Assadi for the Iranian-Swedish Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) professor Ahmadreza Djalali, who has been imprisoned and sentenced to death in Iran. Belgium has been trying to obtain his release for several years now. Belgian MP Georges Dallemagne (Engagés) also sees this draft treaty as an "unprecedented blow to the fight against terrorism and our rule of law" and a signal of "impunity given in the future to any country that sponsors terrorism."

"Law enforcement authorities in Belgium, France, and Germany worked closely and efficiently to stop the Assadi terrorist cell. (...) This pending treaty is totally disrespectful to the law enforcement officers who risked their lives to prevent the 2018 attack," the US dignitaries say in their letter.

In their view, the treaty will not only make Belgium a “sanctuary country” for terrorist sleeper cell operations which could return to Iran even after being convicted, but would also turn Belgium into a "European central command center" for Iran.

"As home to the European Union, Brussels is in reality the capital of Europe. As members of law enforcement and military communities, it is inconceivable to us that the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium is even considering offering to host Iran’s terrorist operations headquarters in Europe," the letter states.

In addition to Louis J. Freeh and James L. Jones, the letter was signed by former U.S. Marine Corps Commandant James Conway, former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Robert Joseph, retired Federal Judge Eugene R. Sullivan, former Senior Antiterrorism Officer Wesley M. Martin, former US Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey, former NJ Senator Robert Torricelli and former Deputy Commander Charles Wald.

(KOR)

Then FBI Director Louis J. Freeh answering questions at FBI Headquarters in Washington in 2001 © EMILIE SOMMER / AFP