BRUSSELS ON LOCKDOWN: Home of European Union Braces For Impending Muslim Terrorism
Belgian authorities warn of Paris-style jihad attack. When will they learn that Islam is not a “religion of peace”?
The city of Brussels, Belgium is on lockdown. Home to the headquarters of the European Union and NATO, the city has gone to the highest level of alertness after authorities in the small nation raised the threat level over “precise information” that an attack was imminent, said the Prime Minister in a statement. From AP.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said the heightened security measures were “based on quite precise information about the risk of an attack like the one that happened in Paris … where several individuals with arms and explosives launch actions, perhaps even in several places at the same time.”
Tanks and armored vehicles are in the streets, and armed forces are patrolling the streets in full military gear and facemasks. The metro is shut down, and most of the European Union buildings have been closed.
Americans in the city have been warned to “shelter in place.”
Bloomberg reports:
“We are mobilizing the maximum number of people that is possible. All policemen are being called on,” Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon told VTM television. “All the reserves will be called and also the military will give more support to guarantee the highest possible security.”
At the Combating Terrorism Center, Paul Cruickshank has an interview with a a senior member of the counterterror unit in the Brussels Federal Police, Alain Grignard, that gives some perspective. Asked about the threat to Belgium, Grignard paints the bleak picture:
It boils down to mathematics and it’s all linked to the Syria dynamic. A high number of Belgian extremists have traveled to join jihadi groups in Syria and Iraq. Wannabe Belgian jihadis are still leaving every month. There’s no way of knowing the exact numbers but I can tell you with certainty that at least 300 have traveled—that’s the number we have sufficient evidence to bring charges against. At least 100 have returned to Belgium, but we are under no illusions that there aren’t more we don’t know about. It’s impossible to do surveillance on everybody.
The entire interview is well worth reading.
As always, Twitter has photos from people on the ground in Belgium that show the extent of the lockdown.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister gave a speech on new security measures, which can be read online, and focuses on, among other things, “eradicating messages of hate” and “focusing on individuals who are known to be potentially dangerous.”
Here also is the Belgian government statement on security that was released on the 18th:
Since Monday evening, the terror threat level has been raised to 3, meaning serious, for the entire territory of Belgium (threat is possible and likely). This threat level specifically applies to areas where a lot of people gather.
A reinforced and visible police presence has been requested for all major events, with everyone being asked to be extra vigilant.
In this context, the Crisis Centre has asked that the football match Belgium v. Spain of Tuesday evening to be cancelled. Organisers of other events can contact the Crisis Centre in advance.
The Federal Police have also released a search notice.
Following the decision of the Crisis Centre, the police decided to request temporary extra support from the Belgian Army to guard certain locations.
In the course of today, the Army will deploy extra soldiers. The soldiers will primarily be deployed in the large cities.
Today, up to 300 extra soldiers will be deployed, on top of the 220 soldiers already set out. In total, 520 soldiers will therefore be deployed. In the coming days, the police and the crisis centre will monitor the situation and the capacity required. The extra locations where soldiers provide support are determined by the police.
http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/brussels-lockdown-home-european-union-braces-impending-terror
