The European leaders and security chiefs have a sobering message after the Bastille Day killings in Nice.
They said on Friday in Paris that such lone attacks using ordinary vehicles are nearly impossible to prevent and can be carried out by almost anyone.
France Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, admitted that France has moved into a new era, and they would have to live with terrorism.
Charles Michel, his Belgian counterpart, said in Brussels that zero risk does not exist and Europe is now faced with a different “modus operandi”.
He said that Brussels, like cities in France, is still on a state of high alert with troops and heavily armed police on the streets and on guard at major public events.
Michel said that Belgium has anticipated such risks, and is ready to protect its own national day festivities next Thursday.
Andre Jacob, former Head of Counter-Terrorism at Belgium’s State Security Service, said that nothing could be done to prevent such attack.
“A local, 31-year-old, Tunisian-born Frenchman with a record of violence but unknown to counter-terrorism agencies drove the rented heavy truck for 2 km (1.5 miles) along the palm-fringed Promenade des Anglais seafront, which was closed to traffic and thronged with thousands of revelers watching fireworks.
“What can you do against this, it is impossible to prevent, even if there were clues,’’ he said.
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