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15 Years of Combating Islamic Groups in Belgium: The History of Their Globalization

This article discusses the 15-year history of combating Islamic groups in Belgium, focusing on the stages of their globalization. It explores the development of connections with other counter-terrorism units and the partnership with the Belgian Secret Service. The article also highlights key cases and dismantlement of networks related to Algerian, Afghan, and Tunisian movements. It covers the interconnections between Islamic groups, criminal networks, and their links to the Pakistani-Afghani zone. The article ends by mentioning the cooperation with other groups under the umbrella of Al Qaeda.

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15 Years of Combating Islamic Groups in Belgium: The History of Their Globalization

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  1. 15 years of presence of Combating Islamic Groups in Belgium : the history of their globalization.

  2. GRIGNARD Alain • Superintendent Federal PoliceAnti-terrorism Unit of Brussels • IslamologistLecturer Universities Brussels and Liège

  3. BELGIUM • No direct implications with Arab/Islamic countries. • But…Presence of a significant Muslim community within Belgium.

  4. BELGIUM

  5. 20 years of CT Investigation • 4 stages : • Islamic / nationalists groups • Taliban’s Afghanistan: fusion / globalization. • Post-Afghan movements • Iraq

  6. 1986 - 1992 • Start of CT Unit • Getting educated (street) • Getting educated (University) • Development of the contacts with other CT-units. • Partnership w. Belgian Secret Service

  7. 1992 - 1995 • Algerian-related Networks • Propaganda FIS • Propaganda GIA • Afghan movement: first signs • over 50 group’s periodic publications

  8. 1992 - 1995 • Algerian-related Networks • Propaganda FIS • Propaganda GIA • Afghan movement: first signs • over 50 group’s periodic publications

  9. 1992 - 1995 • Algerian-related Networks • Propaganda FIS • Propaganda GIA • Afghan movement: first signs • over 50 group’s periodic publications

  10. 1992 - 1995 • Algerian-related Networks • Propaganda FIS • Propaganda GIA • Afghan movement: first signs • over 50 group’s periodic publications

  11. March 1995: Ahmed ZAOUI • Dismantlement of his network • focuses mainly on the Algerian problem • all represented (GIA, FIS, FIDA,…) • more logistic than operational • first arrest of Tarek MAAROUFI • first signs of Libyan Islamist movement

  12. March 1995: Ahmed ZAOUI • Algerian problem but… • Linked to the French bombing campaign of summer ’95: • Ali TOUCHENT • Boualem BEN SAID • …

  13. March 1995: Ahmed ZAOUI • Algerian problem but… • Linked to Afghanistan: • Boudriah BEN BRAHIM • Discovery of first Jihad Manual

  14. first Jihad Manual • Over 8000 pages …

  15. first Jihad Manual • Dedicated to …

  16. Dedicated to… OBL and Abdullah Azzam

  17. 1995 - 1998 • Dismantlement of logistic networks linked to the Algerian GIAgenerally linked to the French networks (Maamache, Chalabi, …) • More and more links to the UK,e.g. Abu QATADA

  18. March 1998: Case LOCK • Key players : • Farid MELLOUK (F / DZ) • Chawki BAADACHE (DZ) • Jalal AIT SASSI (M) • Laaroussi ESSOUSSI (Tun) • Discovery of explosives and their recipes

  19. March 1998: Case LOCK • a step towards a global network: • multi-national (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Syria, …) • links to several national Islamic fighting groups (GSPC, GICT, GICL, …GICM) • links to some leading European activists (Bakhti RAHO MOUSSA, Omar MAAROUF, Said MANSOUR, Rachid BOUKHALFA, …)

  20. March 1998: Case LOCK • Strong ties with the Pakistani-Afghani zone and Bosnia. • discovery of large amounts of Jihad manuals “made in Afghanistan" • role of BAADACHE a.k.a. Abu QASSIM • links to Abu ZOUBEYDA • false document traffic to and from that zone

  21. March 1998: Case LOCK • GICM: • Discovery of the manifest of the creation of “JAMÂ’AT AL-ISLÂMIYYAT AL-MUJÂHIDAT FÎL-MAGHRIB”

  22. draft found in CREMONA (I)

  23. 1998 - 2001 • Case “LOCK” (finalization) • Case “WAWA” • Case “MEZZE”

  24. Case WAWA • Investigation into the Islamic spheres linked to the criminal networks • Takfir Wa Hijra • Identification of Nizar TRABELSI

  25. Case WAWA • Nizar TRABELSI • under investigation from June 2001 • suspected of preparing a terrorist act • arrested on Sep 13, 2001

  26. TRABELSI network • Linked to the Islamic criminal networks (Takfir Wa Hijra) • Linked to Afghanistan • Evidence of preparation of terrorist attack • Link to Tarek MAAROUFI and the Tunisian Islamic Fighters

  27. Case MEZZE • Investigation into the Tunisian Islamic sphere (GICT), consequence of the LOCK case (AIT SASSI Jalal) • many links to UK and Afghanistan • role of Tarek MAAROUFI and Omar SLITI • identification of Abdessattar DAHMANE

  28. Case MEZZE • Dismantlement in November 2001 of the network supporting the suicide attack on Shah MASSOUD • Abdessattar DAHMANE • Abdallah EL OUAHER

  29. Case WAWA - MEZZE • Complete intrication with the Pakistani-Afghani zone • role of the UK based groups • links all over the world (UK, NL, I, F, Pak, …) • links to the criminal networks (micro-financing)

  30. Case WAWA - MEZZE • has given complete insight on how the Islamic Fighter groups… • are organized in Afghanistan • cooperate with other groups there • are under the umbrella of Al Qaeda

  31. 2001 - 2004 • Case “WAWA/MEZZE” (finalization) • Case “PAMI” (R.REID) • Case “GOAL” • Case “ASPERGES”

  32. Case PAMI • Richard REID • his passage in Brussels • contact with Nisar TRABELSI • presumed contact between TRABELSI and Sajit BADAT

  33. Case GOAL • Logistic network connected to the Pakistani-Afghani zone.(Sheykh KHALID, ABOU ZOUBEYDA,…) • Key persons: • Mohamed SABER • Driss EL ATTELAH • Tarek MAAROUFI

  34. Case GOAL • Linked to: • Pakistani-Afghani zone (Sheykh Khalid!) • Northern Iraq (Ansar al-Islam) • Turkey and Syria • GICM (El Attelah Driss) • GICT (Italy-Samir Ben Khemais)

  35. Case ASPERGES • Investigation into the re-infiltration network of the GICM • mainly from the Turkish-Syrian zone • vast operation and arrests after 11-M • still under prosecution

  36. GICM: a true post-Afghan network • Exfiltration of Afghan fighters • Returning to the countries of origin and organising armed struggle “back home”. • Creating and maintaining cells of “sleepers” assisting in case of action. • Independent cells likely to commit actions in their hosting country • Recruiting and conveying towards training and/or combat.

  37. Golf war II (Iraq) • Has changed the equation by adding a new frustration amongst the Muslim community. • Has spawned many networks conveying Mujahedin to and from the Iraqi battlefield.

  38. Iraqi related network • In Belgium… • Operation Nov 30, 2005.

  39. CONCLUSION • In the last ten years, the Islamic Extremists have globalized • ideologically • structurally: from national Islamic Extremists towards a global network, founded in the Afghan melting pot, with London as a step stone • at present, spawning of numerous new Iraqi related networks

  40. CONCLUSION • Belgium is a piece in this global puzzle of the Islamic Extremist Terrorist’s network • Belgium holds no key role in their structure

  41. Alain GRIGNARD • FEDERAL POLICESJA Bruxelles DR3Square Victoria Regina 1B 1210 BruxellesBelgium • Phone +32.2223.9238 • E-mail : algri@Yucom.be

  42. Thank you. Any questions ?

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