2023-11-22 16:23:00
Accompanied by the Minister of Justice, Paul Van Tigchelt (Open VLD) and the Minister of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), the Prime Minister also discussed the situation in the Middle East where he will visit this Wednesday evening, in the company of Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish Prime Minister.
“We have asked the Commissioner General of Police and the Prosecutor General of Brussels to provide us with an account of the ongoing investigations, as well as the first lessons to be learned following this attack committed on October 16 in Brussels,” declared Alexander DeCroo. Before giving the floor to the Minister of Justice first, then to the Minister of the Interior.
Investigations continue
Paul Van Tigchelt – who participated in his first CNS as Minister of Justice – notably declared that the Coordinating Body for Threat Analysis, Ocam, maintains its alert level at 3 (on a scale of 4), which means that the threat is “serious”. The reasons given are multiple. “First, the investigation into Abdesalem Lassoued, author of the October 16 attack in Brussels, continues. The authorities are working tirelessly. The federal prosecutor’s office is continuing its investigations, in particular to find out more regarding the origin of the weapon used by Lassoued, but also to better understand the network that the attacker had established online, particularly on social networks.
Annelies Verlinden returned to the investigation requested from Committee P following the attack of October 16, to determine whether there were any flaws in the work carried out by the police in this case. “Regarding the police services, it has been established that procedures were followed. This does not mean that there are not lessons to be learned, and we will,” the Interior Minister said. Annelies Verlinden also explained that the fight once morest crime will be Belgium’s priority during its presidency of the Council of the European Union (presidency which begins on January 1, 2024).
The other reasons which justify maintaining level 3 by Ocam are linked to the situation in the Middle East. “The increase in anti-Semitic and racist acts worries the authorities,” insisted the Ministers of Justice and the Interior. The Jewish community is still the subject of particular vigilance.
Furthermore, La Libre learns from good sources that the investigation is continuing fruitfully since three people arrested were placed under arrest warrant yesterday, Tuesday. One person is charged with weapons violations, while the other two individuals are charged with murder, attempted murder in a terrorist context and participation in the activities of a terrorist group.
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