For extremists, Belgium is also a good place to get weapons. The terrorists who attacked the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and a Jewish supermarket in Paris last January purchased their automatic rifles in Belgium.
“Belgium is known as an international hub for illegal arms trade,” said Nils Duquet of the Flemish Peace Institute, which maps and monitors arms trade for the Flemish Parliament, adding that Brussels is one of the main markets for illegal guns.
Jihadi radicals have set up connections with the criminal gangs in Belgium, often following time spent together in prison, Duquet said. “Through these networks they can buy guns and rifles. And recent attacks have shown that terrorists are using guns and rifles more often, instead of the traditional explosives.”
“We don’t have a grip on the situation in Molenbeek,” Jan Jambon, Belgium’s interior minister.
“I notice that each time there is a link with Molenbeek. This is a gigantic problem.” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.
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http://www.politico.eu/article/molenbeek-a-terrorists-den/