Drug war in Brussels: interior minister Quintin: ‘Use military for surveillance to free up police’

In 3 days, 4 shootings took place in the capital in only 3 days. One person was killed and a second was injured.

‘A drugs war is being fought out between criminal gangs In Brussels,’ says Brussels public prosecutor Julien Moinil, who noted the shootings in Anderlecht were linked to a settling of accounts among drug traffickers.

Belgium’s new interior minister Bernard Quintin said what happened in Brussels last week was ‘totally unacceptable’. ‘It should not happen. There’s no such thing as zero risk,  but zero tolerance does. There is a political will to implement zero tolerance.’

Defence minister Theo Francken consuted

Zero tolerance starts with more police on the streets, Mr Quintin says. And to make that happen, the minister wants to deploy military personnel for so-called ‘static surveillance’ duties. ‘That is to say surveillance at places like nuclear power plants and embassies where police currently provide security.’ In that way, more police can be freed up to be present on the streets.

‘I have already talked to my colleague Theo Francken to see how we can do this as soon as possible. He is now consulting with his administration to look into this.’

When asked for a response from Theo Francken, the minister's office referred to the coalition agreement. This states that military personnel can be used for static surveillance at nuclear power plants and embassies. But beyond that, the minister would not comment.

Military unions are not enthusiastic. ‘This is not our job,’ says Yves Huwart of the ACMP union. ‘It is all too easy to get the defence department to pick up the bill every time an incident occurs.’ Moreover, there is no legal framework for such assignments and military personnel have no police powers, adds Chris Huybrechts of the liberal defence union.

'Not happening tomorrow' says defence minister

At present, there is no legal framework allowing military personnel to take on police officers’ tasks says defence minister Theo Francken.

Mr Francken confirms he has already spoken to minister Quintin about the creation and deployment of a military reserve ready to carry out policing tasks, but immediately tempers his colleague’s expectations. ‘It will not happen tomorrow. I said that to my colleague as well.’

Before soldiers can be deployed for this kind of job, a lot of conditions still have to be met, Mr Francken clarifies. ‘The reserve still has to be set up, trained, AND a legal framework has to be created, so that it is clear what soldiers are allowed to do when they are deployed on the street.’

The defence minister's response is undoubtedly a blow to the interior minister, who is eager to get drug violence in Brussels under control as soon as possible. But Mr Francken is clear: ‘The problem in Anderlecht will not be solved by the defence department’.