Belgian lawmaker Paul Van Tigchelt (Flemish liberal Anders), the former head of OCAD, the Belgian government body that analyses threats, sees the danger of attacks in the West increasing as a result of the war in the Middle East.
"There is no doubt that Islamists will try to capitalise on this conflict and use it as fuel to stir up holy war. At the same time, it is also true that right-wing extremists will use this conflict as a pretext," says Van Tigchelt, a former Belgian justice minister, who recalls that the last attack on Belgian soil took place shortly after Hamas launched attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023.
According to the Flemish liberal lawmaker, the greatest danger comes from “lone actors”, people who act alone, but he also warns against state terrorism by the Iranian regime, which is said to possess so-called “sleeper cells” in the West.
Security will be discussed at the meeting of Belgium’s national security council that starts at 11 a.m. The meeting is chaired by the PM and is attended by all federal deputy premiers, the interior, foreign, defence, justice and finance ministers. Heads of the security services and the chief federal public prosecutor can also be invited.
Opposition MP Van Tigchelt complains the meeting is only happening today and says that is ‘very late’. He also voices gripes about members of the federal government who have made divergent statements about the conflict in recent days. ‘Unity of communication and unity of command is needed’ he insists.
Evacuation latest
The first evacuation flight for Belgian tourists stranded in the Middle East will be able to depart on Friday evening at the earliest, according to the Belgian foreign ministry. It is not yet clear how many Belgians have already registered for the evacuation. A total of around 2,500 tourists are currently staying in the region.