2023-10-20 04:38:00
How was Abdesalem Lassoued able to obtain his AR-15 and how did he learn to use such a heavy weapon? This is one of the key questions that investigators must answer in the context of the attack that occurred last Monday during which two Swedish nationals were killed.
More and more weapons of war from the black market are used in Belgium. We saw this recently when an individual was killed by 17 Kalashnikov shots in Anderlecht or during the arrest, this Tuesday, of seven heavily armed individuals who were preparing to recover a shipment of several tons of cocaine at the port from Antwerp. Heavy means worthy of what we see in the films.
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Grenades accessible at 50 euros
Today, criminals have no trouble obtaining these heavy weapons which are easily accessible on the Darknet but which are also on sale in several red light districts of the country. In addition to firearms, it is also easy to obtain grenade-type weapons for 50 euros, according to investigating judge Michel Claise.
On the other hand, the sales procedure differs from the past, making the task of the police and investigators more complicated. “At the time, weapons were found during searches in cellars and car trunks. This is still regularly the case but more and more criminals go so far as to hide bags in forests and green spaces, like what is done in France, making detection very complicated or even impossible for investigators. ”, explains an anonymous source who works within a strategic Brussels security department.
An individual killed by 17 Kalashnikov shots in Anderlecht: the four suspects are still actively sought
Weapons hidden in the Soignes forest
Thus, it turns out that the practice of hiding heavy weapons in parks and forests is becoming more and more widespread. “The protagonists know that investigators can easily trace them using DNA fingerprints. Instead of destroying the weapons, they hide them. This is the reason why during searches, investigators do not always find the weapons they are looking for,” he explains. “They haven’t actually disappeared, they’re just somewhere else. This is particularly the case in the Sonian forest or in the Peterbos city park in Anderlecht.”
Then these weapons can once more be used by other criminal gangs. “They can be used by drug traffickers who work in the same network, used as part of an exchange of deals with foreign organizations or between jihadist organizations. These weapons are also used in organized crime in the context of robberies and kidnappings,” our source continues.
Their origin most often comes from Eastern countries. “About ten years ago, these weapons were diverted from the wars in Yugoslavia. Today, they come in particular from the conflict in Ukraine. The Schengen area allows the free movement of goods and this also applies to weapons. They can transit through Moldova, Romania, Spain, France or the Netherlands. Their price depends on their condition, their usefulness via common interests, the stock ordered,” he continues.
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A well-informed criminal can obtain a weapon in 20 minutes
Supply and demand have become so great that people who have contacts in the industry, who have gained the trust of criminal networks, can quickly obtain them. “If a criminal has ‘good’ contacts and is reliable, and gives the necessary amount, then it takes no more than 20 minutes to obtain a weapon of war. Obtaining it is disconcertingly easy. It’s become as easy for them as ordering an Uber!”
“One day or another, a confrontation between the police and criminals armed with weapons of war will inevitably take place. We must prepare for it.”
In this context, the risk of escalation of violence is real. “I fear that with the increase in conflicts all over the world, the number of heavy weapons available will continue to increase,” explains the head of the MR group in Anderlecht Gaëtan Van Goidsenhoven. “When I was mayor, we were already confronted with grenade throwing as part of a vast coordinated action plan (the Octopus plan carried out between 2010 and 2012, Editor’s note) and this risk of incident risks reproduce. One day or another, a confrontation between the police and criminals armed with weapons of war will inevitably take place. This might have happened on Monday evening and we have to prepare for it in the future.”
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