Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden after IS terrorist threat: “No reason to increase the threat level”

According to Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), based on the current information from the Coordination Body for Threat Analysis, there is “no reason to increase the threat level in our country”.

That threat level is currently at level 3, which means ‘serious’ and where the threat is “possible and probable”. Based on the intelligence OCAD currently has, an increase to level 4, the highest level at which the threat is “serious and very imminent”, is not necessary.

Terror group IS announced on Thursday that it wanted to carry out attacks worldwide. “It goes without saying that the services are closely monitoring the situation together with their foreign colleagues. The situation is continuously monitored,” said Minister Verlinden.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked Belgians in France to avoid large gatherings and places with a large number of people. This is stated in the most recent version of the travel advice for France. The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs implemented the adjustment on Monday after our southern neighbors raised the threat level to the highest level.