Belgium pledges security crackdown on extremists

BRUSSELS

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel on Thursday called for constitutional changes to support a crackdown on extremists in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

He also pledged to spend 400 million euros ($428 million) on boosting the security forces.

“The risk before us is the collapse of the entire European project if we don't take our responsibilities,” Michel told the federal parliament in Brussels. “All democratic forces have to work together to strengthen our security.”

He said the government would introduce laws to jail fighters returning from Syria and revoke their citizenship, ban hate preachers and close unregistered places of worship.

Suspected extremists would be forced to wear electronic bracelets, mobile phones would have to be registered, police would be able to conduct searches any time and Belgium would share more information with other European governments, Michel added.

Belgian police carried out fresh raids around Brussels on Thursday, including Molenbeek, the focus of previous anti-terror operations.

Some of the Paris attackers who killed 129 people had links to Brussels and French President Francois Hollande has said the bombings and shootings had been planned in Belgium.

BRUSSELS

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel on Thursday called for constitutional changes to support a crackdown on extremists in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

He also pledged to spend 400 million euros ($428 million) on boosting the security forces.

He said the government would introduce laws to jail fighters returning from Syria and revoke their citizenship, ban hate preachers and close unregistered places of worship.

Belgian police carried out fresh raids around Brussels on Thursday, including Molenbeek, the focus of previous anti-terror operations.

Some of the Paris attackers who killed 129 people had links to Brussels and French President Francois Hollande has said the bombings and shootings had been planned in Belgium.