Overview
- Interior and defense ministers said soldiers will support federal police at synagogues, schools and community centers, with deployment to begin as soon as possible.
- Officials cited Article 111 of the Integrated Police Act, keeping police in operational command while drawing on military capacity to bolster site protection.
- The move follows a March 9 explosion outside a Liège synagogue that caused damage but no injuries, alongside similar incidents reported in the Netherlands and Norway.
- An obscure group calling itself Harakat Ashab Al Yamin al‑Islamia has claimed responsibility without independent verification, while Israel’s Foreign Ministry alleged an Iran‑linked jihadi role.
- Jewish organizations welcomed the decision as visible protection, VRT reported roughly 24 Belgian locations could receive heightened security, and Dutch police arrested four teenagers in Rotterdam as investigations continue.