The Belgian threat analysis agency "OCAM" announced that it is currently monitoring 650 individuals considered "extremists" or "terrorists." These individuals are under priority surveillance and are included in a database accessible to all security forces.
Eighty-eight percent of these individuals are being monitored due to their "commitment to radical ideology," 9 percent for their connections to right-wing extremism, and 2 percent for ties to left-wing extremism. The remaining individuals pose "various threats" against elites or are linked to conflicts abroad.
These figures were disclosed during a press conference following the approval of a new legal framework regarding data sharing by lawmakers on Thursday. The new law aims to address gaps noticed after the assassination of a police officer by a former radical detainee in November 2022 in Brussels.
"OCAM" presented the data at a time when the recent attack in Moscow, claimed by ISIS, has prompted neighboring France to raise its security alert to the highest level on Sunday evening. In Belgium, the assessment of the terrorist threat remains at level three on a scale of four, indicating that the threat is still considered "serious," but not "very serious."
OCAM's director, Geert Verkinderen, stated, in the presence of the interior and justice ministers, that "to move to level four, we truly need concrete elements regarding an imminent attack, and currently, we do not have these elements in Belgium." He emphasized that the "overall level" currently in effect across the country does not preclude the possibility of raising it in specific areas temporarily in conjunction with events or visits from individuals deemed sensitive.
Belgium experienced suicide bombings in 2016 claimed by ISIS, resulting in 35 fatalities. The threat level was raised again to level three in 2023 when a Tunisian extremist assassinated two Swedes in Brussels who had come to support their national football team. The Belgian police shot the attacker the following morning, and ISIS claimed responsibility for the assassination.
The database titled "2023 Toll" lists 650 individuals, reflecting a decrease of approximately 7 percent compared to 2022. Last year, around 30 names were added to the database, but approximately 80 individuals were removed, resulting in a total decrease of about 50 in the count.
