NMBS Files Complaint After Death Threats to Security Staff
Belgian national railway company NMBS has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Railway Police after receiving threatening messages targeting its internal security service, Securail. According to multiple sources, the threats referenced the Antifa (anti-fascist) movement, prompting an investigation by the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office into possible links with far-left extremist circles, as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.
Threats and Immediate Response
NMBS spokesperson Dimitri Temmerman confirmed that the threats were received through the company’s customer service channel and were directed at Securail personnel. “The safety of our employees is the most important thing. We take this seriously and immediately filed a formal complaint with the Railway Police. The Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting further investigation,” Temmerman said.
An internal email viewed by HLN journalist Jeffrey Dujardin revealed that NMBS management urged employees to remain “alert and cautious,” follow established security procedures, and report any suspicious situations. The company stated there are currently no indications that individual employees are being personally targeted, though the situation is being “permanently monitored and evaluated.”
Political Fallout
The threats have triggered immediate political reactions. Vlaams Belang MP Frank Troosters, chair of the Chamber Mobility Committee, called the threats “shocking” and demanded action. “Securail agents stand guard daily in difficult circumstances to deal with increasing crime and violence on the railways. That they are now being explicitly targeted and threatened with death is completely unacceptable,” Troosters said.
Fellow Vlaams Belang MP Ortwin Depoortere, chair of the Chamber Interior Committee, announced a resolution proposal to add Antifa to Belgium’s terror list. “Contrary to what their name suggests, the Anti-Fascist Front (Antifa, AFF) is a thoroughly fascist organization that swears by intimidation and physical aggression against dissidents and regularly organizes serious violence against law enforcement,” Depoortere stated.
Broader Context of Tensions
The threats against Securail come amid heightened tensions between NMBS and activist circles. The railway company has faced criticism over a multi-billion euro contract awarded to Spanish train manufacturer CAF, which pro-Palestinian organizations link to infrastructure projects in occupied Palestinian territory. Four Belgian NGOs petitioned the Council of State in August 2025 to block the contract, though the Council ultimately backed NMBS’s choice.
Additionally, NMBS has faced renewed scrutiny over its role in organizing deportation trains during World War II. In April 2025, the company decided to offer official apologies and has been working on implementing recommendations including a memorial website and commemorative trains.
Far-Left Extremism in the Spotlight
The threats also come amid a broader pattern of far-left and anarchist activity in Belgium. During recent protests against budget cuts in French-language education in Brussels, rioters from the “Black Bloc” — a far-left tactic involving masked protesters — hijacked demonstrations, leading to water cannon and tear gas deployment by police. Brussels Police Chief Michel Goovaerts noted that officers were being photographed and targeted online with “wanted” posters.
Climate action group Code Rood also faced a major judicial operation in June 2026, with 19 house searches and 15 arrests following actions at Cargill in Ghent and ArcelorMittal in Charleroi. Two activists were released under conditions on June 17, according to VRT NWS.
What’s Next
The investigation by the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office will determine the credibility and source of the threats, and whether there is a concrete link to organized far-left or anti-fascist groups. NMBS has stated it will take additional security measures if circumstances require. Meanwhile, the political debate over Antifa’s legal status in Belgium is expected to intensify, with Vlaams Belang pushing for its classification as a terrorist organization — a move likely to face opposition from left-wing and civil liberties groups.
Securail agents, who have faced increasing challenges including a 2025 incident involving alleged violent conduct and an ongoing open letter campaign about safety concerns in stations, now operate under heightened threat conditions as the investigation unfolds.