Belgians Interior Minister Jan Jambon made a controversial statement during his appearance on Belgian’s VTM News.

When asked how it was possible that the terrorist network which was behind the attacks in Brussels, could hide for a long time in the heart of Brussels, Jambon replied: “Someone who is hiding and receiving support from the population, can remain hidden a long time.”

Jambon, who is a member of the New Flemish Alliance, continued to compare the terrorists to the Jews who hid here during the Nazi occupation: “There are Jewish people who went into hiding for years… and (the Nazi) regime never found them.”

When Antwerp City Council member Claude Marinower learned of Jambon’s statement, the former MP said, “At first when they told me about it I didn’t believe it was possible. I asked to watch the video – and realized that Jambon really did make this dubious comparison.

“It’s inconceivable, it’s shocking for all those who hid Jews during the occupation while endangering their lives. How can you compare the jihadist criminals who are hiding today with the innocent Jews who wanted to flee from the Nazi manhunt?,” said Marinower to Jewish news website Regards.

Jambon later clarified that his comments pertained to the mechanism of hiding.

“I just referred to a historical fact in Belgian history. Hiding those people was something positive. What is happening today in Brussels, it is not,” he said according to VTM News.