(Brussels Times) Six years ago, it felt like extremist terrorism would haunt us permanently. The March 2016 bombs in the Brussels metro and airport left 35 people dead.
They came after the November 2015 attacks in Paris that killed 138. Jihadists claimed responsibility for other mass murders in Berlin, Barcelona, Manchester and Istanbul. But in recent years, these shock attacks have faded away, and it has been years since any major terrorist attack in Belgium or elsewhere in Europe. Does this mean the danger has passed?
The short answer is no. Terrorism remains the number one issue for security officials in Belgium. They know that Islamic terrorism has deep roots in the country, and even if it is dormant today, it could re-emerge tomorrow.
