8.  The applicant states that he is Ali Samy and that he is an Algerian national, born in 1968 in Algiers. He is currently living in the Netherlands. 9.  On 26 August 1996, the applicant was arrested and taken into detention on suspicion of theft. He was released on the same day. However, as it had appeared during the criminal investigation that he was likely to be an illegal alien, he was handed over to and, in accordance with Article 19 § 2 of the Aliens Act (Vreemdelingenwet), apprehended by the Aliens Department (Vreemdelingendienst) in order to verify his identity, nationality and residence status. 10.  On 27 August 1996, in accordance with Article 26 § 1 of the Aliens Act, the State Secretary of Justice (Staatssecretaris van Justitie) ordered the applicant's placement in aliens' detention with a view to his expulsion (vreemdelingenbewaring) and, on the same day, issued an expulsion order. 11.  The applicant's lawyer filed several unsucessful requests for the applicant's release from aliens' detention with the Hague Regional Court (arrondissementsrechtbank). In particular, a second request lodged on 29 November 1996 was rejected on 22 January 1997. 12.  On 7 March 1997, the applicant was released from detention because there was no real prospect of expelling him at that time as his origins could not be established. 13.  In a decision of 11 March 1997, the Hague Regional Court sitting in Amsterdam noted that the applicant had been released on 7 March 1997. The Regional Court found that the applicant's detention as of 27 February 1997 had not been lawful and awarded the applicant 1,200 Netherlands Guilders (544,54 euros) in compensation. The Regional Court also issued a costs order against the State Secretary of Justice.