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Brussels Attack Lapses Acknowledged by Belgian Officials Brussels Attack Lapses Acknowledged by Belgian Officials
(about 2 hours later)
BRUSSELS — Top Belgian officials on Thursday acknowledged miscommunications and other errors in the prelude to the Brussels suicide bombings, as growing evidence of links to the Paris assaults by the Islamic State suggested that a wide network of trained attackers leading back to Syria is now rooted in Europe.BRUSSELS — Top Belgian officials on Thursday acknowledged miscommunications and other errors in the prelude to the Brussels suicide bombings, as growing evidence of links to the Paris assaults by the Islamic State suggested that a wide network of trained attackers leading back to Syria is now rooted in Europe.
The Belgian justice and interior ministers acknowledged that their departments should have acted on a Turkish alert about a convicted Belgian criminal briefly arrested in Turkey last year on suspicion of terrorist activity, who turned out to be one of the suicide bombers. And the Belgian prosecutor’s office said that person’s brother — another suicide bomber — had been wanted since December in connection with the Paris attacks.The Belgian justice and interior ministers acknowledged that their departments should have acted on a Turkish alert about a convicted Belgian criminal briefly arrested in Turkey last year on suspicion of terrorist activity, who turned out to be one of the suicide bombers. And the Belgian prosecutor’s office said that person’s brother — another suicide bomber — had been wanted since December in connection with the Paris attacks.
Taken together, they amounted to the first high-level acknowledgment that European officials could have done more to avert the bombings, and came amid other recriminations in the European Union about recurrent failures among its national police forces and intelligence services to share information.Taken together, they amounted to the first high-level acknowledgment that European officials could have done more to avert the bombings, and came amid other recriminations in the European Union about recurrent failures among its national police forces and intelligence services to share information.
New raids in connection with the Brussels bombings were carried out Thursday night in the city’s Schaerbeek and Jette neighborhoods, and the police held six people for questioning.
At the same time, officials in France said a French citizen had been arrested in the Argenteuil suburb of Paris on suspicion that he was involved in the “advanced stages” of a terrorist plot. The French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said that “at this point” there were no tangible links between that plot and the Paris and Brussels attacks.
Even as investigators have collaborated in Belgium and France since the Paris attacks four months ago, which by all accounts were planned in Belgium, they were caught unaware by the Brussels attack on Tuesday, which killed 31 people and wounded 300 in the airport and a busy subway station.Even as investigators have collaborated in Belgium and France since the Paris attacks four months ago, which by all accounts were planned in Belgium, they were caught unaware by the Brussels attack on Tuesday, which killed 31 people and wounded 300 in the airport and a busy subway station.
The investigators now say that at least three and probably four people played roles in both the Brussels and Paris assaults. With at least one suspect still missing and unidentified from the Brussels bombings, experts said it was likely that the attacks are not over. The investigators now say that at least three and probably four people played roles in both the Brussels and Paris assaults. With at least one suspect still missing and unidentified from the Brussels bombings, experts said it was likely the attacks are not over.
“There seems to be more and more evidence that there are links between French commandos who had a role in Paris and Belgians who targeted the airport and the Maelbeek metro station,” said Didier Leroy, a researcher of militant jihadist networks at the Belgian Royal Military Academy and Brussels University. “There are fingerprints, there are some specific phone calls on the night of the Paris attacks.” “There seems to be more and more evidence that there are links between French commandos who had a role in Paris and Belgians who targeted the airport and the Maelbeek metro station,” said Didier Leroy, a researcher of jihadist networks at the Belgian Royal Military Academy and Brussels University. “There are fingerprints, there are some specific phone calls on the night of the Paris attacks.”
“Definitely there are other attacks to be feared and other individuals will emerge — we are in a long-term dynamic here,” he said. “Definitely there are other attacks to be feared and other individuals will emerge,” he said.
The Franco-Belgian network is part of the wider trend of European fighters in Syria and Iraq, estimated by security services to number 4,000 to 6,000. It is not clear how many have returned to Europe; while some officials estimate 10 percent, others have disputed that as exaggerated.The Franco-Belgian network is part of the wider trend of European fighters in Syria and Iraq, estimated by security services to number 4,000 to 6,000. It is not clear how many have returned to Europe; while some officials estimate 10 percent, others have disputed that as exaggerated.
The French and Belgian fighters, however, are especially close, said Nathalie Goulet, a member of the French Senate and a co-chairwoman of a committee that looked into jihadist networks in Europe. The French and Belgian fighters, however, are especially close, said Nathalie Goulet, vice-chairwoman of the French Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee and a co-chairwoman of a committee that looked into jihadist networks in Europe.
“We will find more connections, because I don’t believe in the lone wolf,” she said. “These people have the same training, the same national connection; they have long friendships and when they left for Syria they all went to the same place there because they are French speakers and that reinforced their connections and ability to work together.”“We will find more connections, because I don’t believe in the lone wolf,” she said. “These people have the same training, the same national connection; they have long friendships and when they left for Syria they all went to the same place there because they are French speakers and that reinforced their connections and ability to work together.”
They were tied as well — much as gang members are — by lives of petty criminality and sometimes larger crimes, Mr. Leroy said.They were tied as well — much as gang members are — by lives of petty criminality and sometimes larger crimes, Mr. Leroy said.
The Paris and Brussels plotters appear to have shared a bombmaker, Najim Laachraoui, 24, a Belgian of Moroccan descent, who is widely reported as having been one of the suicide bombers at the Brussels Airport. Neither the Belgian prosecutor’s office nor Mr. Laachraoui’s family have confirmed his death. The Paris and Brussels plotters appear to have shared a bomb maker, Najim Laachraoui, 24, a Belgian of Moroccan descent, who is widely reported as having been one of the suicide bombers at the Brussels Airport. Neither the Belgian prosecutor’s office nor Mr. Laachraoui’s family have confirmed his death.
Belgian law enforcement say Mr. Laachraoui, a trained electrical engineer, went to Syria in 2013. He was noted by the police in a routine check in September as he drove between Hungary and Austria with Salah Abdeslam, believed to be the lone surviving suspect of the Paris attacks, who was arrested in Belgium less than a week ago and who now says he wants to be returned to France. There were unconfirmed accounts on Thursday that Mr. Abdeslam may also have been planning to participate in the Brussels assault. The prosecutor’s office said that Mr. Laachraoui, a trained electrical engineer, went to Syria in 2013. He was noted by the police in a routine check in September as he drove between Hungary and Austria with Salah Abdeslam, believed to be the lone surviving suspect of the Paris attacks, who was arrested in Belgium less than a week ago and who now says he wants to be returned to France.
Mr. Laachraoui was using the name Soufiane Kayal. He later rented a safehouse in Auvelais, south of Brussels, used by the Paris attackers as they were preparing. The authorities found traces of his DNA there. There were unconfirmed accounts on Thursday that Mr. Abdeslam may also have been planning to participate in the Brussels assault, which would suggest that he was also involved in logistics and planning for both. However, his lawyer said Thursday that Mr. Abdeslam knew nothing about the Brussels attacks. 
His DNA was found at another apartment in the Schaerbeek district of Brussels where the Paris attackers appear to have assembled some of their suicide vests, according to a statement from Frédéric Van Leeuw, the Belgian federal prosecutor. Traces of the explosive TATP were found in the apartment when it was raided in Schaerbeek, one of the heavily immigrant districts next door to Molenbeek, the home of three of the Paris attackers. Mr. Laachraoui was using the name Soufiane Kayal. He later rented a safe house south of Brussels, used by the Paris attackers as they were preparing. The Belgian authorities said they found traces of his DNA there.
He and Mohamed Belkaid, another of the accomplices in the Paris attacks, traveled together to Belgium with Mr. Abdeslam, and are believed to have been on the phone with some of the Paris attackers as that assault was underway, perhaps directing or coaching them, according to Belgian media accounts. His DNA was also found at another apartment in the Schaerbeek district of Brussels where the Paris attackers appear to have assembled some of their suicide vests, according to a statement from Frédéric Van Leeuw, the Belgian federal prosecutor. Traces of the explosive TATP were found in the apartment when it was raided in Schaerbeek, one of the heavily immigrant districts next door to Molenbeek, the home of three of the Paris attackers.
While prosecutors have not made public the identity of those on the phone in Belgium with the Paris attackers, the police have determined that at least two phones in Belgium were pinged by the Paris attackers. Mr. Laachraoui and Mohamed Belkaid, another of the accomplices in the Paris attacks, traveled together to Belgium with Mr. Abdeslam, and are believed to have been on the phone with some of the Paris attackers as that assault was underway.
On Monday, barely 18 hours before the Brussels bombings, the Belgian authorities issued an all-points bulletin for Mr. Laachraoui, asking the public to call immediately if they saw him or knew his whereabouts. That alert came too late: The bombs were likely to have already been made and packed into suitcases — all that remained was to detonate them. On Monday, barely 18 hours before the Brussels bombings, the Belgian authorities issued an all-points bulletin for Mr. Laachraoui, asking the public to call immediately if they saw him or knew his whereabouts. That alert came too late: The bombs were likely to have already been made and packed into suitcases.
One man who figures in both Paris and Brussels, although his role remains mysterious, is Mr. Belkaid, 35, an Algerian.One man who figures in both Paris and Brussels, although his role remains mysterious, is Mr. Belkaid, 35, an Algerian.
It appears he was important enough for the attackers, or their directors in Syria, to have him travel across Europe — and possibly from Syria — to help in the attacks. It also seems he was designated to survive the Paris attacks since he was left behind in Belgium, although his next assignment was unclear. It appears he was important enough for the attackers, or their directors in Syria, to have him travel across Europe — and possibly from Syria — to help in the attacks. It also seems that, like Mr. Laachraoui, he was designated to survive the Paris attacks since he was left behind in Belgium, although his next assignment was unclear.
He was a behind-the-scenes participant — at least until the gun battle that killed him on March 15 when he fought the Belgian police as they raided an apartment in the Forest section of Brussels. His rapid response to the arrival of the police at the apartment almost certainly helped the two other men in the house with him to flee. The two have not been identified and it is not clear if they are among those accomplices still alive.He was a behind-the-scenes participant — at least until the gun battle that killed him on March 15 when he fought the Belgian police as they raided an apartment in the Forest section of Brussels. His rapid response to the arrival of the police at the apartment almost certainly helped the two other men in the house with him to flee. The two have not been identified and it is not clear if they are among those accomplices still alive.
When Mr. Belkaid first surfaced in connection with the Paris attacks he was using the name Samir Bouzid, which was on the false identity papers he used as he drove across Europe with Mr. Abdeslam and Mr. Laachraoui. It took the police until this week to determine that his real name was Belkaid.When Mr. Belkaid first surfaced in connection with the Paris attacks he was using the name Samir Bouzid, which was on the false identity papers he used as he drove across Europe with Mr. Abdeslam and Mr. Laachraoui. It took the police until this week to determine that his real name was Belkaid.
There appears to be a deep reserve in Belgium of people with the potential to become the next participants in a violent attack on civilians. The country’s security services maintain a list of 1,000 names that includes every potentially dangerous person with Belgian citizenship, said Mr. Leroy, the Royal Military Academy researcher. There appears to be a deep reserve in Belgium of people with the potential to become the next participants in a violent attack on civilians. The country’s security services maintain a list of 1,000 names that includes every potentially dangerous person with Belgian citizenship, said Mr. Leroy, the Royal Military Academy researcher. 
However, the list encompasses such a broad swath of individuals that it is hard to figure out who represents the most risk for the country, he said. What does emerge from the list are some revealing demographics. About 80 percent of those named are of Moroccan origin. Even in places such as Schaerbeek where the Muslim population is roughly half Turkish and half Moroccan, “we have no, or almost no, Turkish foreign fighters, and we have many Moroccan ones,” Mr. Leroy said. However, the list encompasses such a broad range of individuals that it is hard to figure out who represents the most risk for the country, he said. What does emerge from the list are some revealing demographics. About 80 percent of those named are of Moroccan origin. Even in places such as Schaerbeek where the Muslim population is roughly half Turkish and half Moroccan, “we have no, or almost no, Turkish foreign fighters, and we have many Moroccan ones,” Mr. Leroy said, adding that researchers were trying to understand the reasons for that.
More and more of those in Belgium who end up as radical militants start out as criminals, forming their bonds in criminal networks.More and more of those in Belgium who end up as radical militants start out as criminals, forming their bonds in criminal networks.
“The attacks in Paris and the ones in Brussels are prepared and executed by essentially the same network, and it’s quite an old network,” said Brice de Ruyvers, a professor of criminal law and criminology at Ghent University in Belgium, who has worked in government posts involving security. “The attacks in Paris and the ones in Brussels are prepared and executed by essentially the same network, and it’s quite an old network,” said Brice De Ruyvers, a professor of criminal law and criminology at Ghent University in Belgium, who has worked in government posts involving security.
“They were not in the past a terrorist network, they became terrorists in liaison with ISIS and what happened in Syria in the past years — this is the case not just in Paris and Brussels, but there all those people come from the same neighborhood, they knew each other for years,” he said. “This is the composition of the network and these are the people who have established a clear link  between serious crimes and terrorist crimes;  they are used to using violence.” “They were not in the past a terrorist network, they became terrorists in liaison with ISIS and what happened in Syria in the past years — this is the case not just in Paris and Brussels, but there all those people come from the same neighborhood, they knew each other for years,” he said.
“This is the composition of the network and these are the people who have established a clear link  between serious crimes and terrorist crimes;  they are used to using violence.”