The Belgian police arrested four individuals on Sunday for allegedly exchanging messages related to planning a “terrorist attack,” as reported by the federal prosecutor’s office in charge of the investigation. Eric Van Der Sypt, a spokesperson for the prosecution, stated that the suspects, comprising three minors “in late adolescence” and an 18-year-old, were apprehended during raids in Brussels, Ninove, Charleroi, and Liege. They are suspected of planning a terrorist attack within Belgium.
The arrests, conducted today, stemmed from a police operation aimed at identifying individuals “potentially violent and suspected of being connected to extremism,” according to the Belgian Francophone Radio and Television Broadcasting Corporation (RTBF). No weapons or explosives were found during the raids, but mobile phones and laptops were confiscated for content analysis, confirming reports by RTBF and the news channel “HLN.”
Van Der Sypt mentioned that the exchanged messages among the four suspects were “concerning enough to prompt us to intervene and conduct raids.” He clarified that while there were no immediate plans for an attack, the situation was urgent enough to necessitate action. The young age of the suspects heightened the authorities’ concerns, with Van Der Sypt noting, “They are easily influenced. If someone gave them a weapon, for example, things could escalate very quickly. Therefore, we did not want to take any risks.”
The four suspects are currently being interrogated, with an investigative judge to decide on further actions in the case. Belgian authorities have remained vigilant since 2016, when Brussels experienced a dual suicide bombing at Zaventem Airport and the subway system, killing 32 people. In October last year, a gunman killed two Swedish football fans in Brussels before being shot by the police.
