OCAD top man: “Since the Brussels attacks, the threat has come from perpetrators who act alone” | Process attacks Brussels

Those so called lone actors are responsible for several attacks since the period 2014-2017, when IS and Al Qaeda trained and directed terrorists. “In our country we had that in 2018 in Liège. This always concerns individuals who act alone. They are still inspired by the ideas of IS or Al-Qaeda, but are no longer in contact with them. They have not been on site. They decided on their own to do something here,” says Vercauteren on VRT Radio 1.

Since the attacks in Zaventem and Brussels, the threat of terrorism has diminished. As of January 2018, the global threat level is at level 2, on a scale of 4. But the lone actors are of concern to the OCAD. They are more difficult to detect and that creates a different kind of threat. “It is now often a personal matter, because people radicalize under the influence of all kinds of conspiracy theories and things that circulate on the internet. Personal grievances and psychological problems are often added to this, ”said the OCAD CEO.

REVIEW. As early as 2021, the OCAD warned of new threats as a result of the corona crisis.

In its annual report, the coordinating body already noted that the threats in the majority of cases concern individuals. In addition, right-wing extremism is on the rise and in 2021 more minors were involved in security files. The majority of the reports are still about jihadist extremism and terrorism. There were a total of 218 threat reports last year.

The corona pandemic seems to have been a breaking point, causing threats to come from more quarters. “It’s about anti-establishment thinking. This has to do with the covid period and the resistance to the measures taken at the time. A small number of people have radicalised. At certain times they made threats to politicians, virologists and sometimes to the mainstream media. That is a new form,” says Vercauteren.

In our country, 702 individuals are currently being monitored as a priority within the framework of the strategy against terrorism and extremism, including the radicalization process. The OCAD reports this on Friday a press release. The Joint Database (GGB) now contains 64 right-wing extremists, 14 left-wing extremists and 624 jihadists.

REVIEW. How is it possible that police attacker in Schaerbeek Yassine Mahi was not arrested?

The interim director also came back to the fatal stabbing in Schaerbeek in ‘De Ochtend’. In addition, police officer Thomas (29) was murdered by Yassine Mahi (32), someone known to the OCAD. “We are now obliged to that victim to see what can be improved in the system. Have things gone wrong? That will have to be determined by the investigation. As a service, together with politicians, we are now engaged in the exercise of how we can still improve,” said Vercauteren.