OCAD CEO: “Threat level remains at 3 for some time” | Domestic

Since the attack in Brussels, in which two Swedes were shot dead, the threat level in our country has been 3. At that level the threat remains “serious”. One of the biggest reasons the threat remains at that level is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

According to Gert Vercauteren, CEO of the OCAD, the crisis in the Gaza Strip is an “emotional trigger event” that has a serious emotional impact on the population. “In that climate, there is of course a great risk that certain people will express their anger or frustrations in a violent manner,” the CEO said on Radio 1. “We are already seeing that the number of threat reports is increasing. In the summer we were in a calm period, now we have to meet with the various services almost every day to tackle very disturbing cases.”

This concerns threats against the Jewish community on social media. In addition, there are also people who imitate terrorists: copycat behavior. “We have to be very careful about that. I fear that we will be stuck with this for a while, we also have to see how the conflict in the Gaza Strip progresses, but I do not think that the consequences will disappear in the coming weeks.”

At the same time, Vercauteren emphasizes that it is important to keep a cool head. “It is important not to overreact, not to play the terrorists’ game. Because that’s just what they want. We must deal with it sensibly – as far as possible,” he says. “It is of course not up to the OCAD to decide who should be on the streets, soldiers or the police, but I would argue in favor of tackling matters in the normal way: increased vigilance, extra police. Let us keep a cool head, that is the best we can do in this situation.”