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Brussels Bombing Suspect Was a Moroccan Citizen Brussels Train Station Bomber Was an ISIS Sympathizer
(about 3 hours later)
A man who detonated a suitcase bomb in a failed attack at a busy Brussels train station was a 36-year-old Moroccan who was known to the police but was not wanted on terrorism-related offenses, the Belgian authorities said on Wednesday. BRUSSELS — A man wielding a hammer at Notre-Dame cathedral. A motorist who rammed a Renault into a police convoy on the Champs-Élysées. And now a bomber at Central Station in Brussels.
The bomber entered Brussels Central Station at 8:39 p.m. on Tuesday, went downstairs from the main ticket hall and began shouting near a group of passengers, according to Eric Van der Sijpt, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office. Three times in the last two weeks, followers of the Islamic State have sowed fear in major European cities. In each case, they failed to execute their plot, and — as in previous failed attacks by its sympathizers — the Islamic State has not embraced them as martyrs and has instead remained silent.
The assailant was carrying a suitcase bomb that contained nails and gas bottles, Mr. Van der Sijpt said, and set off a partial and relatively harmless explosion. In the latest example, a 36-year-old citizen of Morocco assembled a bomb at his home in the working-class Molenbeek section of Brussels, according to the authorities.
The man — identified only as Oussama Z. — entered Brussels Central Station at 8:39 p.m. on Tuesday, went downstairs from the main ticket hall and began shouting near a group of passengers, according to Eric Van der Sijpt, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office.
The suspect was carrying a suitcase bomb that contained nails and gas bottles, Mr. Van der Sijpt said, and set off a partial and relatively harmless explosion.
He then left the bag behind while he went in pursuit of a station master, Mr. Van der Sijpt said, and it “exploded a second time, more violently.”He then left the bag behind while he went in pursuit of a station master, Mr. Van der Sijpt said, and it “exploded a second time, more violently.”
After the second explosion, the man went back upstairs, approached a soldier and shouted “God is great” in Arabic. The soldier opened fire, killing him. Initial reports that the man might have been wearing an explosive belt proved to be unfounded.After the second explosion, the man went back upstairs, approached a soldier and shouted “God is great” in Arabic. The soldier opened fire, killing him. Initial reports that the man might have been wearing an explosive belt proved to be unfounded.
While the attack was successfully averted — and Belgian authorities praised the soldier for his quick response — it once again shined a spotlight on Belgium, a linguistically divided and politically fragmented country that has been used as a base by many jihadists. Some developed extremist views in Belgium; others traveled to Syria or Iraq and joined the Islamic State.While the attack was successfully averted — and Belgian authorities praised the soldier for his quick response — it once again shined a spotlight on Belgium, a linguistically divided and politically fragmented country that has been used as a base by many jihadists. Some developed extremist views in Belgium; others traveled to Syria or Iraq and joined the Islamic State.
Militants based in Brussels have been linked to deadly attacks in and around Paris in November 2015, and to bombings at Brussels Airport and a subway station in March 2016. More than 160 people died in those sets of attacks, for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility. Militants based in Brussels have been linked to the deadly attacks in and around Paris in November 2015, and the bombings at Brussels Airport and a subway station in March 2016. More than 160 people died in those sets of attacks, for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility.
A number of militants involved in those earlier attacks had roots in Morocco, including Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a ringleader of the Paris attacks who grew up in Belgium; two brothers, Salah and Ibrahim Abdeslam, who were among the Paris attackers; Mohamed Abrini, who accompanied two suicide bombers in the Brussels Airport attack; Najim Laachraoui, a bomb maker who blew himself up at Brussels Airport; and another pair of brothers, Ibrahim and Khalid el-Bakraoui, who died in the Brussels bombings. (Salah Abdeslam and Mr. Abrini are being held while awaiting trial.) A number of militants involved in those earlier attacks had roots in Morocco, including Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a ringleader of the Paris attacks; the brothers Salah and Ibrahim Abdeslam, who were among the Paris attackers; Mohamed Abrini, who accompanied two suicide bombers in the airport attack; Najim Laachraoui, a bomb maker who blew himself up at the airport; and the brothers Ibrahim and Khalid el-Bakraoui, who died in the Brussels bombings. Salah Abdeslam and Mr. Abrini are being held while awaiting trial.
Belgium, home to the headquarters of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has been on alert for more than 18 months. In addition, two of the three men who carried out an attack on and around London Bridge earlier this month were Moroccan.
About 100,000 people with Moroccan citizenship live in Belgium, which has a population of 1.1 million. Moroccan-Belgians are the country’s largest minority group with roots outside the European Union. About 100,000 people with Moroccan citizenship live in Belgium, which has a population of 11 million. Moroccan-Belgians are the country’s largest minority group with roots outside the European Union.
Many Moroccan men were recruited in the 1960s to work in Belgium’s mines and factories on temporary contracts but stayed on, eventually joined by their families. Many then became Belgian citizens, and it is often their children or grandchildren — albeit only a tiny fraction of the population — who have been drawn to jihadist ideology.Many Moroccan men were recruited in the 1960s to work in Belgium’s mines and factories on temporary contracts but stayed on, eventually joined by their families. Many then became Belgian citizens, and it is often their children or grandchildren — albeit only a tiny fraction of the population — who have been drawn to jihadist ideology.
Often, according to experts who have studied the phenomenon, future militants start with petty crime and then search for an identity to frame their illicit activity, or to atone for past misdeeds. Often, according to experts who have studied the phenomenon, future militants start with petty crime and then search for an identity as a way to frame their illicit activity, or to atone for past misdeeds.
Prosecutors said the suspect — whom they identified only as Oussama Z. — came from Molenbeek, a working-class immigrant neighborhood that has been connected to the Paris and Brussels attackers. He was known to police for sexual misconduct but not for terrorism. Islamic State supporters come from many backgrounds: the hammer attacker at Notre-Dame was an Algerian, and the man who rammed into the police convoy on the Champs-Élysées was a French citizen.
The area has become synonymous with the perceived failure of Belgian authorities to tame Islamic militancy. Oussama Z., born in 1981, had lived for several years in Molenbeek neighborhood connected to the Paris and Brussels attackers.
In early 2016, Donald J. Trump, then seeking the Republican presidential nomination, called Brussels a “hellhole” and argued that Belgium had been blighted by the failure of Muslims to integrate. “He probably made the bomb there,” the prosecutor’s office said after his home was raided. “Both possible chemical substances and materials were found that could serve to make explosives.”
The authorities said the man was known to police for sexual misconduct but not for terrorism.
The failed attack on Tuesday occurred on the eve of a summit meeting in Brussels at which European leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Emmanuel Macron of France, were to discuss military and security issues, among other topics.The failed attack on Tuesday occurred on the eve of a summit meeting in Brussels at which European leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Emmanuel Macron of France, were to discuss military and security issues, among other topics.
Jan Jambon, the Belgian interior minister, said in an interview with VRT News on Wednesday that several homes had been raided overnight, and prosecutors said the suspect’s home in Molenbeek was among them.Jan Jambon, the Belgian interior minister, said in an interview with VRT News on Wednesday that several homes had been raided overnight, and prosecutors said the suspect’s home in Molenbeek was among them.
It was not clear whether the assailant had links to the Islamic State or to other militant groups, but Mr. Jambon said that investigators would be examining how the man had been radicalized and that the authorities would continue looking to plug any gaps in Belgium’s security system. “The modus operandi of I.S. keeps changing,” he said of the Islamic State. “It’s a game of the poacher and the forest ranger — whenever the forest ranger approaches, the poacher goes elsewhere and finds new ways.”
“The modus operandi of I.S. keeps changing,” he said, referring to the Islamic State. “It’s a game of the poacher and the forest ranger — whenever the forest ranger approaches, the poacher goes elsewhere and finds new ways.”
While he added that it was essential to be vigilant in the face of security threats, he warned against an overreaction. “If you protect yourself everywhere against anything, in the end we will end up in a police state,” he said.While he added that it was essential to be vigilant in the face of security threats, he warned against an overreaction. “If you protect yourself everywhere against anything, in the end we will end up in a police state,” he said.
After a national security council meeting, Prime Minister Charles Michel said that although there was no indication that another attack was imminent, security would nonetheless be intensified.After a national security council meeting, Prime Minister Charles Michel said that although there was no indication that another attack was imminent, security would nonetheless be intensified.
“We will not let ourselves be intimidated by terrorists,” he said. “Just recently we saw with the attacks in Great Britain that our absolute basic values, our freedom and democracy, are threatened. We need to remain vigilant for that, we need to continue our lives as normally as possible.”“We will not let ourselves be intimidated by terrorists,” he said. “Just recently we saw with the attacks in Great Britain that our absolute basic values, our freedom and democracy, are threatened. We need to remain vigilant for that, we need to continue our lives as normally as possible.”
Brussels Central Station was temporarily closed, but it reopened Wednesday morning, at which point trains and subways were running on time.Brussels Central Station was temporarily closed, but it reopened Wednesday morning, at which point trains and subways were running on time.
The nearby Grand Place, an imposing square and tourist destination, was partly evacuated after the attack but it, too, has fully reopened.The nearby Grand Place, an imposing square and tourist destination, was partly evacuated after the attack but it, too, has fully reopened.