Government ‘ignored extremism warnings’

22 March 2004

BRUSSELS – The Belgian government repeatedly ignored warnings about the activities of Islamic extremist groups in the country, a former Belgian senator said on Monday.

Senator Georges Dallemagne said both the current government, which was elected last year, and Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt’s previous administration had failed to act on the findings of a detailed report on Islamic fundamentalist groups active in Belgium.

Former Belgian foreign minister Antoine Duquesne ordered the country’s secret services to draw up the report during Verhofstadt’s first stint as Prime Minister, Dallemagne said.

The study was duly compiled and it contained detailed information about radical Islamic groups, radio stations, internet sites and imams operating in Belgium.

It also suggested ways that the threat from radical Islamic groups could be reduced, for example by expelling certain individuals from the country.

But neither the previous government nor Verhofstadt’s current administration acted on the study and its proposals still have not been put into action today, the former senator complained.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Belgian news