Frenchman found guilty of killing four people at a Jewish museum in Brussels

A court artist drawing shows Mehdi Nemmouche (right) during his trial.
A court artist drawing shows Mehdi Nemmouche (right) during his trial.
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By Angela Barnes
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A Belgian court has convicted French citizen Mehdi Nemmouche of “terrorist murder” for the shooting deaths of four people at a Jewish museum in Brussels in 2014.

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A French citizen has been found guilty of murdering four people at the Brussels Jewish Museum in May 2014.

Mehdi Nemmouche shot two Israeli tourists dead, a volunteer worker and a receptionist.

He was arrested on 30 May 2014 in Marseille, where he was found in possession of weapons used during the killing six days before. He was later extradited to Belgium

No less than "23 pieces of evidence" had been found by the prosecution, AFP reported.

He had fought in Syria for a jihadist group before he returned to Europe and carried out the attack, prosecutors said.

The trial has lasted two months, and high security had been in place for it.

The couple who were killed, Miriam and Emmanuel Riva, had been celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary. Their children, Ayalet, 19, and Shira, 21, described a "devoted mother" and "unassuming father who loved to travel". An advisor, speaking on their behalf, said in court that their childhood had been stolen from them.

Nemmouche listened to the testimony in the dock.

The Assize Court of Brussels must deliberate again to determine his sentence, which will be announced Monday.

Nemmouche and his accomplice Nacer Bendrer, who deny the facts incur life imprisonment.

READ: French journalists identify alleged Brussels museum attack suspect as their jailer in Syria

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