Belgian Army keeps tabs on radical Muslims in its ranks

The Belgian army has put a dozen of its own soldiers under surveillance because of their Salafist beliefs and to ascertain where their loyalties lie. The surveillance operation is led jointly by the military’s own intelligence and state security services, in whose remits suspected extremism and terrorism fall. In most cases, checks have proved efficient but some elements have managed to slip through the net at the recruitment stage. In 2006, Abdel Rahman Ayachi’s military career was stopped short by intelligence and security services, but only after he had completed his training. It was only when he asked to be transferred to the navy – which meant receiving training in radar technology – that one security service discovered he was the son of Sheikh Bassam, founder of the Belgian Islamic Centre. New guidelines, to be adopted imminently, will make sure no one adhering to a Salafist, neo-fascist or any other ideology incompatible with a role in the army is recruited.