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Attack against a government or international institution

An attack on a governmental or international institution is a deliberate act intended to cause damage. This can range from vandalism, theft or espionage to the use of violence. 

"Government institution" means all organisations that act on behalf of the authorities, both in Belgium and internationally. These include national and international public bodies, executive services such as inspectorates and the police, and the judiciary. 

An attack on one of these institutions could have a major impact on the security and functioning of our society.

What can you do?  

There are no specific recommendations for this risk.  

Check out our general advice to follow before, during, and after an emergency.  

Impact and probability

The figures relating to probability and impact describe an attack on a government or international institution of extreme scale. The BNRA theoretically describes such a scenario as follows: 

  • An attack is carried out using weapons of mass destruction or packages containing weapons, by an insider with full access, with the aim of causing casualties.  
  • There are more than three targets, attacked by more than three perpetrators.  

How should you interpret these results?

Within the BNRA, experts assessed three scenarios for each risk: considerable, major or extreme. On each page, you will find the results of the scenario with the highest score based on the combination of likelihood and impact. This does not mean that this scenario will occur or is the most likely. Read more here about how to correctly interpret the results.

 

Probability

Very weak

Human impact

Moderate

Societal impact

Moderate

Environmental impact

Weak

Financial impact

Moderate

What do the authorities do?

Most government institutions have an internal emergency plan. This emergency plan details all the necessary measures and procedures to deal with emergency situations, both inside and outside the organisation.