Belgian Nuclear Plant Guard Murdered, Security Badge Stolen Days After Attack

[bananas]

Source: Slate

A mere two days after bombs in Brussels killed 31 people and injured around 300 on Tuesday a security officer who worked for a nuclear power plant was murdered and his pass stolen. Even though the murder took place on Thursday, it was only reported today by local newspaper Dernière Heure, which emphasized the security badge was de-activated shortly after the guard was found dead.

Prosecutors told Dernière Heure that they had found no links between the murder and terrorism. And the prosecutor’s office in the city of Charleroi apparently told the Belga news agency that reports of a stolen pass were not true. Still, the murder raised fears of a possible plot at a time of increased concern that terrorists may target Belgium’s nuclear network. It also comes as investigators are looking into theories that the Brussels bombers wanted to build a radioactive dirty bomb but later changed plans when Belgium increased security at the nucear plants.

A mere 11 days before the Tuesday bombings, the Belgian government increased security at its nuclear plants, which generate around half of the country’s electricity. Before that, the plants were protected by unarmed private security guards, reports the Washington Post.

On Friday, several nuclear plant workers in Belgium saw their security access revoked amdi worries “that the Islamic State is seeking to attack, infiltrate or sabotage nuclear installations or obtain nuclear or radioactive material,” reports the New York Times. Concern about the safety of nuclear facilities and its employees increased after surveillance video of a top nuclear official was found in the apartment of a suspected militant thought to have ties with the November Paris attacks. That was seen as the first piece of key evidence demonstrating that the Islamic State is looking at nuclear facilities as a possible target.

The European Union’s counter-terror chief also outright said that a cyber-attack on Belgium’s nuclear facilities seems likely. "I would not be surprised if there was an attempt in the next five years to use the Internet to commit an attack," Gilles de Kerchove told daily La Libre Belgique.

Read more: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/03/26/belgian_nuclear_plant_guard_murdered_security_badge_stolen.html

[bananas]

1. Guard At Belgium Nuclear Plant Slain, Pass Stolen

http://www.ibtimes.com/guard-belgium-nuclear-plant-slain-pass-stolen-2343577

Guard At Belgium Nuclear Plant Slain, Pass Stolen

By Aditya Kondalamahanty On 03/26/16 AT 8:29 AM

A security guard, who worked at a Belgium nuclear power plant, was murdered and his security badge was stolen, local media reported Saturday. The incident happened just days after suicide bomb attacks at the Brussels airport and on a metro killed at least 31 people and injured hundreds.

On Thursday, French language Derniere Heure newspaper reported that the suicide bombers, who blew themselves up on Tuesday, were originally targeting a nuclear site, but a series of arrests of suspect militants forced them to speed up their plans.

With the country on high alert, the report raised suspicions of the possibility that militants are seeking to get hold of nuclear material or planning to attack a nuclear site.

The security officer was murdered Thursday evening as he walked his dog in the Belgian city of Charleroi. When news of the killing emerged Saturday, the pass was quickly cancelled, according to reports.

<snip>

[bananas]

2. "suicide bombers...were originally targeting a nuclear site"

On Thursday, French language Derniere Heure newspaper reported that the suicide bombers, who blew themselves up on Tuesday, were originally targeting a nuclear site, but a series of arrests of suspect militants forced them to speed up their plans.

[Democat]

3. The Belgian police have active terrorists running around

This guy was out walking his dog and he was murdered days after the latest suicide bombings?

Maybe the Belgian authorities need to get help from France or someone else with more experience and less fear of offending people before something bigger happens.

[dana_b]

4. okay, this is scary as hell

I think this heightened state of alert may have to go on longer than they had planned. Don't put extra security on the nuclear sites for a short time and then take it off just because nothing happens for a couple of months. These assholes mean business and Belgium, France, etc. needs to as well.

[bluedigger]

5. God help us all if they get access to a solar power facility.

[jtuck004]

6. ++++++++ n/t

[elljay]

7. It would be a catastrophe!

They could suck up all the power from the sun and leave us in the dark! I'm running out to the store to buy more candles!

http://grist.org/business-technology/north-carolina-town-bans-solar-for-fear-it-will-suck-up-all-the-energy-from-the-sun/

[840high]

8. God help us.

[Purveyor]

9. Reuters: Belgian Nuclear Guard Shot, Prosecutor Rules Out Militant Link

Two days after bomb attacks at Brussels airport and on a packed metro killed 31 people and injured hundreds, a security guard who worked at a Belgian nuclear site was killed but the local prosecutor on Saturday ruled out any militant link.

The Charleroi prosecutor's office also denied media reports that his security pass had been stolen and been de-activated as soon as investigators raised the alarm, public broadcaster VTM said.

The office declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

Le Soir newspaper said the man was a guard at Belgium's national radioactive elements institute at Fleurus, to the south of Brussels.

A police spokeswoman said she could not comment because an investigation was ongoing.

In a nation on high alert following this week's attacks, the media reports tap into fears about the possibility militants are seeking to get hold of nuclear material or planning to attack a nuclear site.

more...

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-belgium-blast-nuclear-idUSKCN0WS09E