“We have been able to thwart six attacks” (Brussels federal police)

“We have been able to thwart six attacks” (Brussels federal police)
The Brussels federal police force has thwarted six attacks in two years.

The Head of the Brussels federal police, Eric Jacobs, has confirmed that Belgium has thwarted six attacks over two years in an interview. He granted this to La Dernière Heure and De Tijd and it was published on Tuesday.

The Director confirms, “I am able to tell you, having consulted with OCAM (the Coordination Unit for Threat Assessments), that in two years, more accurately since November 2014, we have been able to thwart no less than six attacks! We have done this in direct collaboration with the intelligence services.”

He adds that one of the largest problems is processing raw data. “Since the Brussels attacks, we have been confronted with a flood of information. There have been far more alerts than previously. We are receiving some 600 pieces of information a day.”

The Director of the anti-terrorist unit says that there there is a lack of readiness for this in Belgium. “We are therefore currently in a phase where we are having to deal with the backlog. Whilst awaiting greater staff capacity, we are having to assess priorities.”

Consequently, these are re-evaluated every day. “Given the increase in caseload volume, 45% of the entire Brussels judicial police staff have been assigned to terrorism cases.”

It seems clear to the Director that it is necessary to continually strengthen the police services, given that there is no sign of this workload decreasing.


The Brussels Times


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