Were Brussels Jihadi’s Trying o Make A Radioactive Bomb? Expert Says ISIS May Have Been Plotting To Steal Nuclear Material, And/Or Blow Up A Nuclear Facility www.fortunascorner.com

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The alarming assertion above was in reference to an NBC News interview with Europe’s top nuclear investigator, Claude Moniquet. London’s The Daily Mail Online reported on their March 24, 2016 website edition that “11 nuclear power plant workers at the Tihange nuclear power plant, had their site access [badges & security code] revoked, amid fears,” these individuals could be recruited to assist the Islamic State in breaching the facility. Tihange lies 40 miles southeast of the city of Brussels. Seven of the access passes were revoked last week, and last Friday, security officials significantly enhanced security measures at the nuclear facility, including deploying military personnel to conduct roving patrols. The publication adds that the jihadi brothers Khalid and Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, who blew themselves up in the Brussels terror attack, had secretly filmed the daily routine of Belgium’s Nuclear Program Chief Investigators suspect the two ISIS terrorists were likely planning on kidnapping the nuclear official — as part of a plan to gain physical access to one of the two of Belgium’s nuclear power facilities. But, the two brothers came under increased surveillance by security personnel at the plants — and, apparently decided to “switch targets to the less well-guarded airport and Maelbeek Metro station.”

Had these two malcontents actually been successful in gaining entry to the nuclear facility and somehow successfully detonated a bomb, compromising the nuclear material — The Daily Mail Online noted that it “could have caused a catastrophe; as the plant lies in a heavily populated area, about 50 miles from each of Belgium’s borders with Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Belgium’s La Demiere Heure newspaper quoted a police source as saying “the el-Bakraoui brothers had hidden cameras in the bushes outside the home of the head of Belgium’s Nuclear Research and Development Program.” Investigators discovered the cameras as a result of a police raid “in Brussels, linked to the November 2015 Paris terror attacks.” The Daily Mail Online reports that investigator’s were initially puzzled by what they saw on the 12 hours of film footage contained in the camera; but, eventually “drew the chilling conclusion that the fanatics [Islamic militants] were trying to gain access to the atomic facility.”

POTUS Obama has repeatedly said that the Islamic State does not pose an existential threat to the U.S.; and his National Security Strategy — such as it is — emphasizes strategic patience. But, the Islamic State would love nothing more that to get their hands on nuclear material, and/or, some kind of weapon of mass destruction (WMD) and detonate it in a major Western European capital or the continental United States. The activity described above is….as indisputable visual evidence that the Islamic State is indeed actively seeking WMD-type material.

Napoleon Bonaparte once said that “one well-placed spy is worth two battalions.” Now, one well-placed spy may be worth an entire city. It is clear that Belgium needs to dramatically alter their current laws with respect to protecting their citizens. As of now, Belgian authorities are prevented from conducting any raids at private homes between the hours of 9pm and 5am, or something close to that — even if they have a court order. The only current exceptions to that rule is if they are present and are convinced an actual crime is in progress, and/or if there is a fire. And, there are other anti-surveillance measures which renders Belgium’s security forces impotent — not to mention a fractured, confusing, and disconnected security structure. Belgium’s security budget has repeatedly been cut; and, the security force suffers from a lack of personnel and adequate anti-terrorism training. With the flood of refugees coming into Western Europe showing no signs of abating, the situation is going to get worse — for the foreseeable future.

Finally, we need a serious re-look at the security of our nuclear facilities here at home. These guys aren’t going to stop their quest to acquire some kind of WMD weapon — as long as they are alive.