Suspected Plan to Attack Belgian Premier Thwarted
Belgian authorities have detained three people accused of conspiring to carry out an attack on the country's PM, Bart de Wever.
Legal authorities described the reported scheme as a terrorist act motivated by jihadist ideology targeting the PM and fellow government officials.
During raids conducted in Antwerp's Deurne district, close to the premier's private residence, investigators discovered a suspected improvised explosive device and indications that the individuals were intending to use a UAV.
While the prospective targets of the assault were not publicly identified by the prosecutor's office, Second-in-command Maxime Prevot revealed that Belgium's leader was one of them.
"Reports of a premeditated attack aimed at Prime Minister Bart de Wever is extremely shocking," Prevot stated in a update on online platforms on the day of the arrests.
"It highlights that we are dealing with a very real terrorist threat and that we have to stay alert," he concluded.
The three people arrested on charges of attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a jihadist network all are based in the city of Antwerp, according to the federal prosecutors. They were with years of birth in 2001, 2002 and 2007.
By Thursday evening, one suspect was freed, while the remaining two were under interrogation and expected to appear in court on the following day.
Legal authorities revealed that the individuals were detained after a judge ordered inspections of their residences in the city by officials backed by bomb detection canines.
In the course of these investigations that they found a item which appeared to be an IED, lead prosecutor Ann Fransen announced at a news conference on Thursday.
Searches also uncovered a container of metal spheres and a additive manufacturing device, with signs of drone weaponization plans, she noted.
The official said that there had been 80 extremist probes opened in Belgium so far this year - more than the full amount of instances in last year.
In April, five people were found guilty for a scheme last year to target De Wever while he was serving as Antwerp's mayor.
