Molenbeek is a Muslim dominated locality in the Belgian capital of Brussels. It has acquired notoriety because Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving direct participant in the Paris attacks hid there before being arrested. The suspected chief planner of the Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud lived in Molenbeek. Abrini, who grew up in Molenbeek, has also been associated with the attacks and was arrested early April.
In all 32 persons were killed in the ghastly and brutal attacks at the airport and Brussels’s subway.
How is it that a particular locality becomes a breeding ground for terrorists in a European capital, which is a hub and an important cultural destination? How was it that such suspects continued to live there without being observed by Intelligence Agencies? How could their suspicious activities fail to be noticed by other residents?
I think in such locales the involved families live with a ghetto mentality and the larger section of Brussels society does not either visit or mix with the locals, mostly immigrants. While the families living their honourably have every right to feel upset at the locality being stigmatized, but they have in a way contributed to the predominance of ghetto mentality at Molenbeek.
We have always seen that a city gets divided into at least two sections, one of which is avoided by the other as a part of the town that should be avoided. We have seen that in the ‘avoided’ part of the city thrives crime and sometimes incidents of shoot out are reported. Still, this part of the city is always left isolated from the mainstream.
If we have to root out terrorism from within the divided hearts, we have to adopt inclusive policies and try to give equal opportunity and an equitable distribution of wealth to all citizens.
Integration is the key ! In the happiness of every individual lies the happiness of all !