LYON, France – INTERPOL is providing analytical and operational support to Belgium following the Brussels terrorist bombings to help identify potential links with other individuals and attacks around the world.
To further build on the international information exchange it is currently facilitating in the aftermath of the attacks, INTERPOL will consolidate law enforcement efforts worldwide to locate and arrest individuals linked to Foreign Terrorist Fighter (FTF) networks through its operation Infra (International Fugitives Round-up and Arrest) model.
Among the main objectives of the operation is to provide member countries with the opportunity to update their national databases and cross-check information they hold on suspects and wanted persons shared via INTERPOL, in order to explore investigative leads on the possible location of FTFs.
The operation will also integrate analysis of modus operandi, including the type of explosives and weaponry, used in FTF-attributed attacks around the globe to identify additional potential links between individuals.
With broken travel ‒ where individuals move between several countries in non-consecutive legs before reaching their final destination – becoming a more frequent feature, expanding access to INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database will also be a key part of the operation.
In addition, the Digital INTERPOL Alert Library – Document (Dial-Doc), a joint G8-INTERPOL initiative, enables countries to share alerts on newly detected forms of document counterfeiting.
“As our thoughts and prayers remain with families and friends of the victims of these latest terrorist attacks, we must turn words into action to combat this global threat,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock.
“It is one of INTERPOL’s highest priorities to support counter-terrorism efforts across all regions, especially given the increasing number of countries which have suffered terrorist attacks in recent months,” said Mr Stock.
Following the attacks on a beach resort in Grand-Bassam, INTERPOL deployed an Incident Response Team (IRT) to Côte d’Ivoire to provide on-site support.
“The tens of thousands of foreign fighters travelling to and from conflict zones have expanded the universe of potential threats, meaning that national security for every country starts far beyond its own borders,” said Secretary General Stock.
“However, this increased travel also provides additional opportunities for interdiction, especially if these individuals have already been flagged internationally via INTERPOL.
“Internationally-shared information needs to be a primary resource for officers on the ground, and we need to ensure that this information moves faster than the terrorists,” concluded the INTERPOL Chief.
With victims of the Brussels terror attacks from at least 10 countries, INTERPOL has deployed an Incident Response Team (IRT) to Brussels to provide on-site support for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) work.
INTERPOL’s internationally recognized DVI process ensures a structured collection and comparison of identifiers such as fingerprints, dental records or DNA samples with ones recovered from the victims’ homes or provided by family members.