TERRORISM, CHILD ABUSE, murder, drug trafficking and fraud. These are just some of the crimes of which Europe’s most wanted suspects are accused.
European law enforcement authorities today launched a website with detailed information on the 45 internationally-wanted fugitives.
The list includes Belgian-born Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in last year’s Paris attacks, who fled back across the border to Belgium hours after the mass killings.
The Europol website says Abdeslam, 26, is “responsible for the terrorist attacks that took place in November 2015″ and a “very dangerous, armed individual”.
There is one woman on the list, Cecilia Kettunen, 29, from Finland, who is accused of “aggravated fraud of significant amount of money”.
Another fugitive is Ernesto Fazzalari, 45, wanted by the Italian police as a “key figure of a mafia clan dubbed Avignone-Zagari-Viola” which is “at war with another clan”.
Called a “ruthless killer”, he is accused of three murders.
The only Briton on the list is Derek Ferguson, 51, who allegedly shot barman Thomas Cameron dead outside a Glasgow pub nine years ago.
Rewards
In some cases, a reward is offered for vital information.
Some €10,000 is offered for a tip-off leading to the arrest and extradition from Kosovo of Hime Lufaj, 32, who is wanted in Austria for the attempted murder of a police officer in 2009.
A smaller reward of €2,900 is offered for valuable information on the whereabouts of Austrian Tibor Foco, 50, who is suspected of killing a sex worker in 1986.
Some of the unresolved crimes stretch back years.
Romanian “yoga teacher and spiritual mentor” Gregorian Bivolaru, 63, is wanted for exploiting children and child pornography between 2002 and 2004.
“Keeping his victim in a state of servitude, he recruited an underage yoga student, for sexual exploitation,” the website says.
Security
Europol said the website aimed “at increasing security” across the European Union by having citizens “help police trace Europe’s most wanted fugitives”.
A picture of each of the suspects is prominently displayed on the site, along with a description of the allegations against them and a phone number of the police force searching for them.
Members of the public are encouraged to submit tip-offs, anonymously if they want, at www.eumostwanted.eu.
Contains reporting by AFP
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