France says radical suspected in Jewish museum attack should be extradited

VERSAILLES, France – A French court has ordered the man suspected of killing four people at the Brussels Jewish Museum to be extradited to Belgium.

The Versailles court decided Thursday that Mehdi Nemmouche should be handed over to Belgian authorities who are investigating last month’s museum attack.

Nemmouche, 29, had fought with Islamic extremists in Syria and was arrested carrying weapons resembling those used in the May 24 killings.

His arrest crystalized fears of European authorities worried about the large numbers of European radicals fighting in Syria – and especially the risk that they could return and stage attacks at home.

His lawyer, Apolin Pepiezep, said they would appeal the extradition decision, arguing that the case should be handled in France because Nemmouche is a French citizen and was arrested in France.