Bomb squad’s GSM jammers being used illegally

The army’s bomb disposal squad (Dovo) has been using equipment that is illegal in Belgium to jam GSM waves, federal telecommunications minister Alexander De Croo has said. The minister is working on a regulation to make the use of the devices legal.

Mobile phones can be used to detonate bombs at a distance and are commonly used in war zones like Iraq to detonate IEDs (improvised explosive devices), planted in advance and exploded when enemy targets are in range.

Dovo use the jammers to shut down any mobile device within range of a suspect package to prevent them being remotely detonated. But the law in Belgium allows the use of jammers only during exercises on army ranges, within prisons or on overseas missions.

“The use of jammers is illegal,” confirmed Veli Yüksel, defence specialist for CD&V in the federal parliament, “and that also applies also to the bomb squad.” His party wants to see that ban lifted as soon as possible “as our country is under a permanent terrorist threat since 22 March”.

De Croo says he is working on a solution. “This measure will be part of a package of various changes to telecoms legislation,” said a spokesperson. “The intention is for the first reading to take place before the summer recess.”

Photo: Eric Lalmand/BELGA