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Complaints grow that Belgium bungled security before attacks
[USA Today] Two days after the worst terror attack on Belgian soil, signs are growing that the Belgium government failed to address security lapses that might have contributed to Tuesday's bombings.The European Union told Belgian authorities to remedy gaps in their border security just weeks before suicide bombers attacked Brussels Airport and a metro station, killing 31 people and wounding 270, according to a report published Thursday. The revelation that a list of recommendations was sent to Brussels in February urging it to repair its "deficient" security checks came after Belgium apparently failed to monitor one of the suicide bombers despite warnings from Turkey. It also followed Belgian and French media reports that a second attacker, possibly at large, is suspected in Tuesday's metro bombing along with Khalid El Bakraoui. El Bakraoui’s brother Ibrahim, and Najim Laachraoui, were identified as two suicide bombers who targeted Brussels Airport the same day. Belgium: We sought metro bomber’s arrest last year for terror offenses [IsraelTimes] Belgian federal prosecutors said Thursday that an international arrest warrant for terrorism-related offenses was issued in December for the suicide bomber who blew himself up at a Brussels metro station two days ago. Persecutors also said in a statement that Khalid El Bakraoui had rented a flat in the southern city of Charleroi, “which served as a base for the terrorist group implicated in the Paris attacks.” The announcement from prosecutors came amid widespread criticism of Belgium’s approach to immigration and security, as well as reports that Brussels officials had specific information about the terror plot, and the attackers were known to police. Israel’s Channel 2 television reported Wednesday that Israeli officials had warned Belgian counterparts of the numerous security failings at Brussels airport weeks before the deadly bomb blasts ripped through the site. Posted by: Besoeker 2016-03-25 |
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