A white powder sent to Belgium’s PM office has been confirmed as strychnine, causing concern and hospitalizing an aide.
Brussels: So, there was this scary incident where a white powder showed up in a letter sent to Belgium’s Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo. Turns out, it was strychnine, which is pretty dangerous.
The Brussels prosecutor’s office shared the news on Wednesday. This letter was sent last November, and it actually made one of De Croo’s aides go to the hospital after they opened it. Yikes!
Belgian news said the aide hurt their hands, which sounds really alarming. This all happened just two days after similar packages were found at the office of the interior minister and the state security service.
Another person had to be quarantined as a safety measure, but thankfully, they weren’t hurt. Strychnine is a nasty substance; it’s often used as rat poison and can cause serious health issues in humans.
It can lead to muscle spasms and even cardiac arrest. It’s kind of wild how it’s been featured in crime novels by famous authors like Agatha Christie and HG Wells.
Interestingly, this news came just after a man with a knife was arrested outside De Croo’s office. The police didn’t know why he was there, which adds to the tension.
De Croo expressed relief that no one was seriously hurt and mentioned that they’re keeping a close eye on things with the police. It’s a bit unsettling, especially with the rise in threats against politicians in Europe.
For instance, Slovakia’s prime minister faced an assassination attempt last year, and Denmark’s prime minister was attacked in public. It’s a tough time for elected officials.
In 2022, Belgium’s former justice minister had to be under tight security due to a kidnapping plot linked to drug gangs. It’s a worrying trend, and the Council of Europe has noted that violence against local politicians is increasing, which could scare people away from politics.
