The problem of returning jihadis was known,but for many years the country’s security services were underfundedA few days ago I asked Gen Eddy Testelmans, head of Belgium’s military intelligence service, and what lessons should be drawn from the Paris attacks. His retort was terse and to the point: “The main lesson is that the Belgian security apparatus has been neglected too much in the past years.” He was also asked approximately the possible presence of sleeping terrorist cells in Belgium. The retort – given before Tuesday’s atrocity and the death of up to 31 people – will be published on Wednesday in the magazine I work for,Knack.“We have to assume that that risk is still existing. Otherwise the threat level would not be on three’, the one but highest stage. We have always assumed that there are people in Belgium that at one point can gather and fetch their hands on weapons and explosives in order to use them. Unfortunately he was prescient. And he wasn’t the only one.
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Source: theguardian.com