One of the Brussels suicide bombers worked a summer job as a cleaner at the European Parliament, officials revealed on Thursday. Although the spokesman for the E.U. did not name the bomber in his statement, a police source told NBC News that the attacker in question was Najim Laachraoui, who is believed to have made the bombs for the Paris terror attacks in November as well. Laachraoui detonated a suicide bomb at the Brussels airport on March 22.
"As a student, he held a summer holiday job at the parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010. As required by the contract, the cleaning firm submitted proof of the absence of a criminal record," the spokesman said.
Former deputy speaker of the Belgian Parliament Lode Vanoost told RT that people like Laachraoui could get hired at the E.U. because the low-wage, temporary jobs typically go to those in the migrant community. "Isn't that ironic that we put so much emphasis on security in our society, but the people who actually have to do it [such as security guards] are mainly people who are badly paid, who hardly get a decent salary, decent working conditions. And after that you are surprised?" he said.
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In addition to the attack at the airport, there was also an attack on the Maelbeek metro station in the Belgian capital on March 22; the station was located near the European Union offices. Thirty-two people were killed in the attacks.
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