“Mass leave” beckons for anti-terror cell

“Mass leave” beckons for anti-terror cell
© Belga

The anti-terrorist cell, known as AO3 is in the process of full-blown mass leave.
At least 20 specialists working there wish to leave this department as quick as possible for another at the heart of the police. On Wednesday, the daily newspapers Het Laatste Nieuws and De Morgen state that such people are saying that they have had enough of the incessant criticism.

On Tuesday, we learned, in a report by Comité P, that the surveillance file of the Abdeslam brothers was shelved, six months before the Paris attacks, by anti-terror specialists from the A03 section. This was for no other reason than staff shortages.

The new inquiry report says A03 has already failed. With 142 employees, the service is already under-staffed. Moreover, during recent weeks, at least 20 staff members have requested a transfer.

Sources from the top of the federal police have confirmed this information. “This is not due to the fact that they cannot manage the work, but purely owing to the incessant criticism and that matters within the service are not being handled correctly.” All of these aspects taken together are simply ‘too much’ for the team. Some staff have had been on the verge of breakdown.”

(Source: Belga)


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