The Algerian assailant who attacked two female Belgian police officers with a machete ignored two exportation orders. Only 40% of exportation orders are obeyed.
The above image from Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Machete Attack in Belgium.
The Financial Times reports Belgium Machete Attacker Earmarked For Deportation.
The man who injured two policewomen with a machete in a suspected terror attack in the Belgian city of Charleroi on Saturday had been earmarked for deportation.
Belgian authorities have confirmed the 33-year-old Algerian assailant had lived in Belgium since 2012 and had ignored two expulsion orders.
Deportation has become the bedrock of the EU’s migration policy, with Brussels pushing to reach agreements with countries across Africa and the Middle East to make it easier to send people with no right to stay back to their home country. Countries that agree to such deals will be able to access investment funds of up to €62bn, according to an EU proposal launched in June.
This push comes despite criticism from some migration experts that widespread removals are difficult to carry out, because of a combination of their cost and strict legal conditions. At the moment, only 40 per cent of failed asylum seekers are ever deported, according to figures from the European Commission.
Theo Francken, Belgian secretary of state for asylum and migration, in press release on Sunday insisted that the government was committed to expelling foreign criminals: “The government has already taken a series of steps to accelerate the return of these criminals. We have to continue.” [Mish translation: we have no idea what to do next.]
But Mr Francken also admitted to difficulties with carrying out expulsions to Algeria: “Forced returns to Algeria remain problematic despite years of bilateral and European negotiations.”
Belgian media reported that the that the perpetrator shouted “Allahu akbar [God is great]” during the assault.
Dear Terrorist, Please Go Home.
Is it politically incorrect to point out the officers attacked by the man with a machete were women? Reuters mentioned that several times, the Financial Times not at all.
Question aside, the European plan of action is the stern message “Dear terrorist, please go home”. When that doesn’t work, the message is repeated, presumably until it does work.
It’s likely that you are as shocked as I am that such a well thought out plan does not work.
Is there a count of deportation orders ignored, or do authorities just issue them and hope?
Clearly hope isn’t working. The authorities need tough follow-up actions. I suggest the deportation authorities need to add “pretty please” to message.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
