BELGIAN SECURITY IS SO BAD IT’S ACTUALLY A THREAT TO BRITAIN; BRUSSELS TERROR ATTACK REVEALED ‘STAGGERING INCOMPETENCE,’ OF EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE

March 25, 2016 

Belgian Security Is So Bad It’s Actually A Threat To Britain; Brussels Terror Attack Revealed ‘Staggering Incompetence,’ Of European Intelligence

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Con Coughlin speculates on the March 25, 2016 website of London’s The Telegraph, about how anyone could think that Britain would be safer by staying in the European Union (EU) — referring to the critical June 23, 2016 vote by British citizens on whether or not to remain in the organization. “The more we learn about the rank incompetence of the Belgian security [and intelligence operatives], in dealing with Islamic terrorists — the more the argument unravels that continued membership in the EU makes Britain a safer place to live. In the past week,” he adds, “we have had luminaries such as Home Secretary Theresa May and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe declaring Britain’s security would be seriously compromised if we chose to leave the EU in the June 23 referendum.”

“I would be most interested to know,” Mr. Coughlin writes, “how they could possibly justify that this preposterous claim — when measured against the catalogue of catastrophic failings made by the Belgian intelligence forces, that resulted in last week’s disastrous attack’s on the country’s capital. It is bad enough,” he notes, “that the Belgian intelligence authorities did not act on warnings from Turkey — that a known Islamic State terrorist was living in their midst. But, it now transpires that the Belgian government, one of the EU’s most ardent advocates, did not bother to pass on [threat] information to key allies, such as Britain, with all the potential implications that could have for their own security.”

The latest revelation that the terrorists had been surveilling nuclear facilities in Belgium, as well as perhaps planing the abduction of key nuclear plant official — as a means of gaining access to the facilities — only adds to the level of anxiety and concern. Mr. Coughlin goes on to note that Britain only found out about this botched or failed attempt because of a leak to the media; and, not because of Belgium authorities intent to share such threatening information. “It is a well known fact among the British intelligence community,” he writes, “which responds to any and every piece of intelligence it receives about potential terror cells — that the Belgians are pretty useless when it comes to terror operations. A combination of not wanting to upset Muslim sensibilities; and, the country’s divisive political system has meant that the Belgian security and intelligence establishment has rarely been inclined to take effective action against hundreds of terrorists.” Political correctness wreaking its destructive and tragic but inevitable consequences.

“Thus,” Mr. Coughlin observes, “we should not be surprised by the catalogue of astounding errors that resulted in the Brussels attacks. If the Belgian authorities are not prepared to treat seriously — warnings that there are known jihadi terrorists living in their midst, then what do you expect?”

Belgium may well have been able to thwart these terrorists from carrying out their attacks in Brussels — had they acted on Turkey’s warning Mr. Coughlin contends. “But, it is a measure of both the Belgian authorities; incompetence, as well as its laissez-faire attitude toward radicalized Muslims, that no action was taken.”

“And while, for the moment, it is for the Belgians to decide what improvements, if any, they want to make to their intelligence operations, their incompetence, and the impact this could have on EU allies like Britain, is something we must take on board — as we ponder whether to leave, ore remain in the EU,” Mr. Coughlin writes. “The Brussels bombing, as well as the latest warnings about a possible dirty bomb attack, demonstrate irrefutably that the failings of some EU intelligence services pose a grave threat to our own security…..rather than enhancing it.”

The idea that Britain will vote to leave the EU in June was given less than a 50 percent chance by almost any seasoned observer of British and EU politics before the Brussels terror attack. Not any more. The odds that Britain will vote to leave the EU may not quite be at 50 percent — but, those odds certainly increased in the aftermath of the Brussels terror attack. Should there be another such attack between now and June 23, the odds that Britain will vote to leave the EU are likely to push beyond the 50 percent level. I have personally written many times that I thought the EU was doomed to failure and subjugates one’s individual/country sovereignty to an entity that has no particular attachment to your country’s plight, aspirations, and future.

And, Belgium has an enormous amount of soul-searching to do — in order to get this right. Multiculturalism has wreaked it’s awful consequences, Muislim communities within Belgium may as well be living in Yemen, or Chechnya. And Belgium’s unrealistic approach to what it takes to keep their citizens safe — security forces being prohibited from conducting raids between 9 p.m. – 5 a.m., among scores of other security impediments — is now exacting its toll. Belgian authorities claim there are exceptions to this rule; but, thse exceptions have never been utilized. If this tragedy does not serve as a wake-up call, and result in some visible and tangible security and intelligence changes, then those who died in the Brussels attack — will have died in vain — and, more nasty surprises are in store for a county that considers itself something to be emulated and admired.