Actions in several cities - Suspected Terror: Police advance in Belgium for Raids
In the course of terror investigations, there have been a total of 14 house searches in Belgium, according to the Belgian prosecutor's office. Seven people were arrested and taken in for questioning. They are suspected of preparing an attack. There were initially no concrete findings regarding possible targets. The searches took place in Antwerp, Brussels, Liège, Gent, and Leopoldsburg.
In Belgium, there has been heightened vigilance for years due to terror threats. In islamist attacks in Brussels in 2016, nearly three dozen people were killed. Over 340 were injured. Most recently, an Islamist killed two Swedish fans at the periphery of a UEFA European Championship qualifying soccer match last year.
- The raids in the terrorism investigation extended to several cities in Belgium, including Brussels, where the Prosecutor's Office believes some planning for the suspected attack might have taken place.
- Following the house searches, the police discovered several potential terrorist-related items, leading the investigation into a more serious phase.
- The suspects, currently under custody, face charges of terrorism-related activities, as per the Belgian Criminal Investigation department.
- The international community has expressed their support to Belgium in their fight against terrorism, praising their proactive approach in conducting such intense raids.
