Is this nonsense, or is it for real?

[Snowygerry]

Originally Posted by slick_miester

Sorry for responding out of order, but an . . . . error this glaring demands confrontation.

So the claims that there was some kind of grand conspiracy are all just hooey?

There are people asking -- and not tin-foiling-hat wearing people, by the way -- if Belgium isn't the epicenter of some global pedophilia ring. Are all these people nuts, or did you simply miss the biggest news story in your country in a generation?

Yep hooey and nuts

Mostly this is Dutroux own defense line taken for gospel by the sensationalist british papers, he's writing a book atm. if you like this sort of conspiracy theory you should buy it.

Not a shred of evidence was found of any kind of political conspiracy - what was found was that corrupt and/or incompetent police officers missed several chances to arrest him because they tried to use him as informant.

There's also evidence that police and prosecutors tried to cover up their own previous failures by obstructing their colleagues investigation.

Prosecutor testifies

Trial

And it is clear the extremely lenient legal system set him free several times while they should have kept him locked up.

All in all this case proved the corruption and ineptness of the Charleroi/Liege police and legal departments, says little in regard to politicians.

This link looks interesting too.

If your looking for an efficient cover-up try this joker

[slick_miester]

Originally Posted by Johan Banér

I'd say know all of them better than you.

Europe throws up ideas like The Declaration of Human Rights (1789) in a time where the-political-powers-that-be were still willing and able to claim that "humanity begins with the baron" (authentic from 1848). It's a major reason the revolutions of 1848 happened, and why most of them failed.

There was no claim that Europe is or has ever been somehow nice. Just that it's keeps churning out ideas, absolutely contrary ones at the same time often as not.

You want freedom of expression — in a big way — but not the effects of Europeans thinking?

Yeah, that Declaration of Human Rights was real hot stuff: its effect lasted all of a minute. It couldn't hold a candle to the Jacobins' blood lust. It was just words on a paper. Hell, they weren't even taken seriously when they were written: within the time it takes to forget, those same authors were busy cutting off heads.

No, no one's ever needed un bohème, or Seigfreid, or any of that other crap I reckon. We didn't need no manifestos, either. The romance of deliberate poverty, or racial unity, or the notion that life owes you something for no other reason that you're drawing breath are European notions, and they've given rise to more chaos and more bloodshed in a shorter period of time than all of the fraudulent religions and self-serving ancien régimes put together. Hell, on your own continent, swastikas are banned by law in many places, so don't go throwing that free speech canard around. Even your own neighbors are well aware that some of their ideas have been real turkeys. The thing is, they've only scratched the surface: there's a lot more turkeys still to be suppressed. Suffice to say, the EU's . . . . selectivity is puzzling, to say the least.

Originally Posted by Snowygerry

Yep hooey and nuts

Mostly this is Dutroux own defense line taken for gospel by the sensationalist british papers, he's writing a book atm.

Stop right there! Convicted felons in Belgium are allowed to keep the proceeds earned by selling accounts of the crimes of which they've been convicted? Wow! I didn't think it possible, but you boys make New York look downright reactionary. And I didn't think that possible.

Originally Posted by Snowygerry

Not a shred of evidence was found of any kind of political conspiracy - what was found was that corrupt and/or incompetent police officers missed several chances to arrest him because they tried to use him as informant.

There's also evidence that police and prosecutors tried to cover up their own previous failures by obstructing their colleagues investigation.

Do not Belgian police and prosecutorial authorities answer to the elected political leadership? Indeed, around here, districts' attorneys are usually elected directly to their offices.

Originally Posted by Snowygerry

And it is clear the extremely lenient legal system set him free several times while they should have kept him locked up.

Isn't that the kind of thing that your legislature should address? One would think that that falls squarely in the purview, drafting and enacting legislation that stiffens penalties for various crimes.

Is there any sense of accountability over there?

[Snowygerry]

Originally Posted by slick_miester

Stop right there! Convicted felons in Belgium are allowed to keep the proceeds earned by selling accounts of the crimes of which they've been convicted? Wow! I didn't think it possible, but you boys make New York look reactionary. And I didn't think that possible.

Trust me you do not really want to know the inner workings of Sicily-by-the North-Sea, but I'll try

He would be allowed to write and sell - profits would go to compensation for victims, likely - otherwise costs.

Do not Belgian police and prosecutorial authorities answer to the elected political leadership? Indeed, around here, districts' attorneys are usually elected directly to their offices.

They answer to our federal government, problem is that every member in our federal government is only answerable to his own electorate.

That is if our federal minister of justice happens to be elected in the south I have zero electoral influence over him an he has no reason to cater to my interests.

At present we have a PM I've never had the chance to vote for or against.

Isn't that the kind of thing that your legislature should address? One would think that that falls squarely in the purview, drafting and enacting legislation that stiffens penalties for various crimes.

They did to a degree - after the affair and in response to the parlementary inquiery a whole reform was implemented both of the police and of prosecutorial authorities removing much of the political influence in appointing various officers.

Is there any sense of accountability over there ?

Sure - they do whatever we tell'm to

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19943890