OCAD, the coordinating body for threat analysis, received 218 reports of terrorism or extremism last year. One threat was rated as “very serious and close”. OCAD reports this in its annual report on Thursday. Threats are still most often expressed through social media and messaging applications.
OCAD categorized the reports into four threat levels: low, medium, severe or very serious. More than half of the reports rated the coordinating body as low. Fewer than one in 10 threats were serious at some point, OCAD writes the press release. One in three fell under the average category.
One very serious report was about Jürgen Conings, the right-wing extremist soldier, who was intensively searched for for five weeks. “On the basis of the available information, he could be described as extremely dangerous,” the OCAD writes about that situation. The sympathy that Conings could count on from a part of the population has not escaped the attention of OCAD: “It goes without saying that this situation has contributed to polarization in Belgium.”
Re-watch how the search for Conings went:
In the majority of cases, the threat concerned an individual, rather than the threat emanating from terrorist or extremist groups. Several threats came from abroad. Targets were mainly targeted in Belgium. The threat could target the general public, religious communities, migrants, asylum centers and ‘infidels’, as well as politicians, virologists and other health experts, it said.
More files with minors
In 2021, the OCAD noticed that more minors were involved in security files. “The COVID-19 crisis, which also resulted in a significant curtailment of their freedom and social contacts for many young people, may be an important factor,” explains the coordinating body. This mainly concerns jihadist extremism and terrorism, but also right-wing extremism. An important part of the radicalization happened online.
OCAD says that one in three reports was related to a jihadist ideology. “IS and Al Qaeda are still trying to mobilize and convince individuals to create a climate of terror in the country where they live or stay. There is still a chance that a few will respond to this,” the OCAD said in a statement the annual report.
More than one in ten came from right-wing extremists. “Right-wing extremism is on the rise. This calls for vigilance. In Belgium we also notice an increase in judicial interventions and follow-ups in the context of potential threats emanating from right-wing extremists,” the OCAD writes.
The threat from left-wing extremism remained limited, the OCAD writes in the press release. “There are indications that (foreign) anarchists participated in the demonstrations against the government’s corona policy at the end of 2021. However, it is premature to speak of a resurgent trend,” the analysis reads.
The reports referred to explosives, firearms and ram vehicles. The general threat level in Belgium remained on average at level two throughout 2021.
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RECONSTRUCTION. “Some soldiers weren’t sure what to do if they found Jürgen Conings. To alarm? Help out? Or ignore?”
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