Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office announced the thwarting of a terrorist attack targeting current Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Local media, including the newspaper Nieuwsblad, reported that the alleged terrorist cell dismantled by the Federal Prosecutor's Office allegedly targeted Prime Minister Bart De Wever, a member of the Northern Alliance (N-VA) party. During a search in the Dornaa neighborhood of Antwerp, northern Belgium—near the Prime Minister's private residence—a homemade explosive device was found. Three young jihadists from Antwerp, inspired by the Islamic State group, devised a plan to assassinate Prime Minister Bart De Wever using homemade explosives attached to a drone.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office described the plan as a failed terrorist assassination attempt. The Federal Prosecutor's Office provided further details about the case during a press conference. Anne Lukowiak, press judge at the Federal Prosecutor's Office, provided more information about the foiled attack on Bart De Wever in comments on Radio 1 on Friday morning. "The investigation had been ongoing for some time, but no action was taken until now," she said. "The police had enough information to launch an investigation. Several individuals had been identified, and that's how the investigation began. The threat seemed real, so to avoid any risks, the investigating judge decided to intervene."
Reports indicate that the suspects were targeting not only the prime minister but other politicians as well. Lukowiak added: "It was indeed a planned attack on several politicians, but we will not elaborate further and will not confirm any other names." Lukowiak neither confirmed nor denied whether the suspects were pro-Israel politicians.
A number of politicians expressed shock on Thursday at the news of the failed attack on Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Valerie Van Peel, leader of the N-VA party, responded to X, saying, "Let's not forget that there is another family besides Bart."
Responding to the news of the thwarted assassination attempt on Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Interior Minister Bernard Quentin said, "I would like to commend the excellent work of our security services, which have once again proven their effectiveness and efficiency in protecting our democracy and our institutions." He added, "We will continue to combat the extremist threat in our country." A statement from the far-right Vlaams Belang party, a copy of which we received, said, "A large-scale security operation was carried out in the Doorn-South area on Thursday as part of a federal terrorism investigation. Several houses on Sint-Rocheoststraat were evacuated as a precaution, along with a number of residents. A school is located on the street. Police and the bomb disposal service (DOVO) cordoned off a large part of Sint-Rocheoststraat. At the same time, searches were carried out at various locations.
A homemade explosive device was found during searches on Sint-Rocheoststraat in the city of Doorn. A terrorist cell from the "radical Islamic corner" intended to assassinate Prime Minister De Wever with an explosive device attached to a drone. Three young Muslims have since been arrested."
The statement added, "Sam Van Roy, the leader of the Antwerp parliamentary group and a federal MP, lives nearby, as does Prime Minister De Wever himself. Van Roy grew up there and attended school on Sint-Rocheoststraat, so he knows the neighborhood well." In recent years, he has repeatedly warned of worsening alienation and Islamization in the neighborhood. “In just a few decades, Herentalspaan has transformed from a pleasant Flemish shopping street into a run-down, Islamic-themed street, lined mostly with halal shops, some of which prove to be highly suspect. At the same time, it also houses an extremist mosque and an Islamic cultural center, where Islamic literature is displayed, portraying non-Muslims as infidels to be fought.”
Van Roy explains: “Flemish people have not felt comfortable here for a long time. Policymakers are now reaping what they sowed through their policies of mass immigration and Islamophobia: because of ongoing Islamization, a terrorist attack can even be planned right under their noses.”
“Because of increasing Islamization, a terrorist attack can even be planned right under their noses.”
Member of Parliament Ortwin Depoortrie, also chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, adds: "This once again demonstrates the need for our security and intelligence services to focus on the resurgent Islamist extremism. Instead of targeting good young men and women from the right, we must combat the real threat of religious fanaticism. This is a heavy responsibility for Ministers Quentin and Verlinden."
The Vlaams Belang party expresses its satisfaction at the timely prevention of this jihadist attack, but warns that halting immigration and curbing Islamization are essential to restoring order and security in society. Van Roy concludes: "The arrested young Muslims must not be given a mere sentence, but a very severe one."
In the neighboring country, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof expressed his support for Prime Minister Bart De Wever. In his response to X, he spoke of "worrying reports of a foiled attack."
Prime Minister Schoof added: "It is now up to the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office to conduct a further investigation." The Netherlands stands ready to provide support if necessary. We will continue to fight terrorism, both nationally and internationally. Rob Jetten, leader of the D66 party, also expressed his concern. "Things could have turned out very differently if the police hadn't intervened in time. Jihadist extremism appears to be the driver here, and it remains a significant threat in Europe," he added.