72 people suspected of terrorism were arrested in Belgium last year, compared to 20 in 2013, according to the “EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2015” published by Europol on Monday. This considerable increase in the number of detentions highlights the danger from fighters coming back from Syria, notes the European police organisation. Europol registered 201 failed, thwarted, or executed attacks in the European Union in 2014. Only one attack took place in Belgium, but the 4 victims of the May 24th massacre at the Jewish Museum in Brussels were the only casualties resulting from a terrorist attack on the continent in 2014.
72 people suspected of terrorism were arrested in Belgium last year. Only France (with 238), Spain (145), and the United Kingdom (132) arrested more suspects.
In 71 cases the arrests in Belgium concerned “religiously inspired terrorism.” The last case was linked to “far-right” terrorism. 20 similar arrests were made in 2013, with 19 being religiously motivated. The number of suspects facing courts for terrorist activities went from 8 in 2013 to 46 in 2014.
(Source: Belga)
