Some headlines
''Belgium startled by online support for rogue soldier''
Belgium's defence minister on Tuesday expressed concern over online support, especially from military personnel, for a renegade soldier on the run after stealing weapons and threatening public figures.
Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder decried the online backing for the fugitive -- condemning in particular support coming from within the armed forces.
"Supporting this man is supporting a man who threatens to wound and kill innocents," she told a press conference.
"It is regrettable that some current or former military personnel have shown their support."
An investigating judge opened a probe last week against Conings for an alleged "terrorist attempted murder" after he allegedly spent two hours lurking near the home of a potential assassination target.
The search for the serviceman, which has been joined by specialist police units from four countries and troops backed with armoured cars and helicopters, initially focused around a national park in northeastern Belgium, near the Dutch border.
Conings is assumed to present an "acute threat" of violence and is thought to have taken several more weapons from the base where he served as an instructor.
The soldier was one of around 30 members of the Belgian armed forces under surveillance by the intelligence agency for suspected far-right ties.
Despite having been disciplined over online extremism and racist threats, he still had access to weaponry in his barracks -- a security lapse that has been described as "unacceptable" by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
The defence ministry said that 11 servicemen believed to share similar "violent extremist" views have now been "excluded from any possibility of working with armaments".
''Facebook removed the “Als 1 achter Jürgen” group from its platform today after the page reached nearly 50,000 members.''
“We removed this group because it violated our policy regarding Dangerous Individuals and Organizations,” a spokesperson said.
The group was created last week to show support for the fugitive right-wing soldier, who has managed to evade international efforts to capture him for
eight days and counting now after allegedly stealing military-grade weapons from a barracks and leaving behind a letter stating his intent to “join the resistance.”
The Facebook group’s name translates to “As 1 behind Jürgen.” People attempting to reach it are now greeted with the following message
Members of the Facebook group organised a silent march to show support for Conings, held in Maasmechelen near the nature preserve in which he was initially thought to be hiding.
“Content, groups and pages that praise or support terrorists, such as Jürgen Conings, are not allowed on Facebook or Instagram,” the spokesperson for Facebook said.
WSJ
''Manhunt for Rogue Soldier in Belgium Focuses Attention on Extremists in Western Militaries
U.S., France and Germany are also grappling with advocates of far-right views among their ranks''