Brussels is under a strong security action, after the police made different swoops in the capital of Belgium that is under several threats of terrorist attacks similar to Paris’, the closing of all schools and the suspension of the subway service, have made that the European capital initiates under the maximum alert level (4).
Since the past weekend, 21 people have been arrested in procedures made between Brussels (Belgium’s capital), and Charleroi (other country’s city). The public federal prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt, informed that this Monday, 5 people got arrested while on Sunday were 16, besides the seizure of 26.000 € during the operations.
It was given to know that Salah Abdeslam, one of the terrorist that participated in Paris’ attacks on November 13th 2015, is not between the arrested people, nevertheless, authorities presume that he might have scape to Belgium.
In an interview offered to the local media, the Belgian interior minister, Jan Jombom, explained that the police’s operative will continue to prevent any attack and to capture the persons who might be involved with the terrorism, and that the highest terrorist alert state is going to continue in Brussels “While this is necessary”. He also explained the: “we take the decisions that are necessary to keep people protected”.
Police members haven’t achieved their principal target. Which is Abdeslam detention, who has an international capture order because of his participation in the massacre that occurred in France. Other extra-official versions, say that the young jihadist, was located in one of Lieja’s roads, but he could scape from the police.
Authorities haven’t offered major contributions on the “serious and imminent threat”, announced last Friday night, that takes place in Belgium’s biggest city, that attracts millions of visitors each year, where the greatest European Union’s institutions are.
In the next hours the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD), will evaluate the situation and the National Security Council will conclude if it’s necessary to adjust the security operations, due to the threats.
It is important to say that the 4th level of alert is only for Brussels’ region, while in the rest of the country is on 3rd level, including Brussels’ international airport, due to it is located in the outskirts of the capital, in Frandes’ region.
Because of the “serious and imminent threat” that keeps Brussels’ population under expectation and tension, and about the part that Belgium would play in the offensive against the Islamic State in Siria, the minister Jombom haven’t discarded the possibility of Belgian military participation and if it’s decided to act, it would be “with a coalition”.
ALFA