Brussels: Europe and Arabs
24 politicians were threatened last year. This is according to figures released by Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden, published by the Belgian newspaper L'Aliber on Friday. The Belgian news agency said that
When a politician files a complaint with the local police, he contacts the National Crisis Center (NCCN). Based on the information provided, the NCCN opens a file of "threatened persons". It then requests a threat analysis from the OCAD risk analysis center, to determine the seriousness of the threat from an extremist/terrorist background, and/or from the federal police, if the threat comes from a criminal background.
Last year, 16 threat files were opened in the category of "political leaders", involving a total of 24 people. In 2022, another 11 files were opened, involving 13 people. In 2021, 16 files were opened, involving 19 people.
Some of the files have now been closed. The preventive measures taken are still in effect for the 21 open cases.