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Federal police chief wants to extend 'Canal Plan' across Belgium

23:34 21/03/2017

The commissioner general of the federal police, Catherine De Bolle wants to see the Brussels Canal Plan extended to the whole country, she said Tuesday in an interview with De Tijd and L'Echo. That plan came in the aftermath of the 2015 Paris attacks, when Belgium's interior affairs minister Jan Jambon vowed to 'clean up Molenbeek' after the Brussels commune was linked to terrorism following the attacks.

The government’s Canal Plan aims to tackle radicalisation and terrorism in a number of Brussels municipalities. "With the Brussels Canal Plan, we are going 'back to basics'," says De Bolle (pictured). "In all areas, from building inspections to control of non-profit organisations, we will find out whether the law is being respected...and expose the underlying cash flows that fund terrorism."

De Bolle is now inviting all politicians to implement a similar Canal Plan throughout Belgium. "The mayor takes the lead, while the federal police provides support," she explains, while adding that it is also up to the country's citizens to report suspicious activities to the police.

Written by Robyn Boyle