Shortly after last November’s attacks on Paris by a Brussels-based Islamic State cell, a top U.S. counter-terrorism official traveling in Europe wanted to visit Brussels to learn more about the investigation.
When the official tried to arrange meetings, however, his Belgian counterparts were not welcoming, according to U.S. officials familiar with the events. The Belgians indicated it was a bad time to speak to foreign officials as they were too busy with the investigation, said the officials, who asked not to be identified.
Belgian officials declined to comment on the incident.
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Vincent Kessler/Reuters Several U.S. officials also say that security cooperation has been hampered by Brussels’ patchy intelligence-sharing and some agencies’ unwillingness to work with foreign countries.
Belgian police have released images of three suspects thought to be involved in a wave of attacks in Brussels and are actively seeking one of them.
The suspects were caught on security cameras at Zaventem Airport, where 14 people were killed in a bombing and apparent suicide attack Tuesday — one of two Brussels-area attacks that left a combined 34 people dead in and around the Belgian city.
The three unidentified men in the photo are pushing baggage carts with suitcases past the airport’s check-in area. Two of the men are wearing black clothing and black gloves on their left hands. The other man is wearing light clothing and a dark hat.
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