Paratroopers were deployed Saturday in Belgium to protect Jewish sites and other sensitive buildings as the head of Europol warned that further terrorist attacks could not be ruled out in the wake of the murder of 17 people in Paris by Islamist gunmen last week.
The move to guard potential targets in Antwerp’s Jewish quarter and in Brussels – in particular the Jewish Museum, where four people were killed by a terrorist in May, and synagogues but also at the Israeli and US embassies- was the first time in three decades that Belgian soldiers have been used to bolster police ranks. It follows the deployment of French soldiers following the attacks in Paris.
Thirteen jihadi suspects were arrested in Belgium on Thursday night in a raid that foiled a large scaled lot to murder police, authorities said.
Belgium has increased its terror warning to three, the second highest, following the raids in which two suspects were killed.
Following a decision announced Friday by the Belgian government of Prime Minister Charles Michel, on the eve of Shabbat, up to 300 soldiers will be deployed in Brussels and Antwerp to strengthen vigilance and security measures of the sensitive sites.
The Jewish organizations in the country welcomed the measures announced by the Belgian government in the fight against terrorism and radicalism.
In a statement, CCOJB, the umbrella group of Belgian Jewish organisations and the Jewish Central Consistory emphasized '' the quality of collaboration with the authorities of the country at both the federal and local level '' in order to ensure maximum safety for the activities of the Jewish community in Belgium.
‘’The bloody attacks last week in France, sadly reminded us that Islamic terrorism is a threat to all citizens, and that the Jews are a prime target,' 'the statement added.
Jewish schools across the country were shut down Friday as a preventive security measure but they are expected to reopen on Monday this time under protection of soldiers ''to preserve the security of the children and parents."
We are anxious,” Maurice Sosnowski, president of CCOJB said. “Hopefully, the anxiety will drop,” he added.