At least two people were reported killed and one arrested in 10 different anti-terror raids in Belgium today, centering on what officials are saying was a potential terror cell that might conceivably be directed by ISIS. The two were killed in Verviers, while the arrest was in Charleroi.
Details are scant in the extreme, but the focus seems to have been on reports that Paris kosher grocery store gunman Amedy Coulibaly’s guns had come from Belgium. Belgian police also said the men may have recently been back from Syria, and that they thought an attack was imminent.
Another reported that a targeted Belgian had bought a car from Coulibaly’s wife, who officials initially placed in the grocery store, but was actually in Syria at the time.
The Telegraph also cited unnamed sources claiming that the rifles used in the Charlie Hebdo raid might’ve also been purchased in Brussels by Coulibaly. As with a lot of the speculation around the Paris attacks, there’s not any real public evidence linking these things together, and everything centers on rumor.
It appears as rumor because only selective information is being released which is 'police work'. Coulibaly took out a €5000 euro loan. He purchased weapons in Belgium for under €5000 (French language press (Le Figero, I read). You have an active revolution in Syria. It would not be logical to postulate: (Just like the Irish Republican Army up until the Good Friday Agreements/Ceasefire). Having sources in illegal weapons trading in Europe would be a strong priority for fighters. Belgium has the highest ratio of Jihadists from Syria per Capita (*Head). France is trying to shut down all possible attack cells. The Syrian rebels alliances are all over the place. Do you think they want their weapons taken by the police?
Vice news has shown how Lebanon is flooded with weapons for sale. Close readers of antiwar know weapons have been flooding in Syria from a multihood of sources. (Including 'western' governments,Russia). Why would anyone assume the fighters don't return with weapons. Some for sale.j
This is what I mean when I say that the big "winner" in all this is the EU. Europeans are "circling the wagons" and sticking together. It matters little whether there is any substance to this or if it is just rumour.