With defendants missing and evidence scattered across war zones, Luxembourg prosecutors will present their terrorism case Thursday against four presumed ISIS affiliates.
The Luxembourg City Court will convene a terrorism trial on Thursday against four men accused of supporting ISIS operations in Syria and Iraq.
Among the defendants is Steve Duarte, a Portuguese national raised in Luxembourg whose alleged activities have drawn particular scrutiny from international investigators.
The case involves three Luxembourg nationals and Duarte, who faces additional charges including incitement to terrorism, recruitment for a terrorist organisation, and murder. Foreign intelligence services previously identified Duarte as appearing in an ISIS execution video – an allegation he denied during a 2019 RTL interview while detained in Kurdish-controlled Syria.
During his imprisonment, Duarte told RTL that he travelled to Syria solely for religious study after converting to Islam, maintaining he worked as a merchant while his wife baked goods for sale. He explicitly denied receiving military training or holding operational roles within ISIS.
These assertions conflict with testimony from other European jihadists who survived the conflict. Multiple witnesses have described Duarte as holding significant positions within the caliphate's infrastructure.
All four defendants remain at unknown locations, prompting Luxembourg authorities to issue summonses for their absentia trial. None have retained legal representation as of publication time.
Steve Duarte's situation presents particular diplomatic and legal challenges. Luxembourg authorities have consistently distanced themselves from responsibility for his repatriation. In 2019, then-Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn stated unequivocally to RTL: "Neither this government, nor its predecessor, nor anyone in this country instructed this man to travel there."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to L'Essentiel three years ago that Duarte survived an attack on his Syrian detention facility. However, despite an outstanding 2016 arrest warrant, officials clarified that no repatriation efforts were underway. The public prosecutor's office noted to RTL that Luxembourg has established no communication channels with Syria's current government, though international letters of request have yielded cooperative responses that form the evidentiary basis for Thursday's proceedings.
During his 2019 detention, Duarte acknowledged the inevitable consequences of his actions, telling RTL: "My goal is to resume a normal life – not immediately, of course, as I'll likely face imprisonment first." He also reiterated his desire to return to Luxembourg.
With the defendants' whereabouts remaining unknown and no legal representation secured, the court will convene Thursday for what is expected to be an entirely absentia proceeding.
