Reported Plot to Attack Belgian PM Thwarted
Belgium's police have arrested three suspects allegedly involved in planning an strike on the government's PM, Bart de Wever.
Prosecutors labeled the reported scheme as a terrorist act motivated by jihadist ideology targeting the prime minister and fellow politicians.
During raids conducted in the Deurne area of Antwerp, in proximity to the premier's home, investigators uncovered a alleged improvised explosive device and evidence that the individuals were intending to deploy a UAV.
While the prospective targets of the assault were not publicly identified by the federal prosecutors, Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot stated that Belgium's leader was one of them.
"The news of a premeditated strike aimed at Prime Minister Bart de Wever is profoundly disturbing," the official stated in a message on social media on Thursday.
"This underscores that we are dealing with a genuine terrorist threat and that we have to remain vigilant," he continued.
The three suspects taken into custody on suspicion of plotting a terrorist killing and participation in the operations of a terrorist group all live in the Antwerp region, according to the federal prosecutors. They were with years of birth in three different years between 2001 and 2007.
By the evening of the arrests, one person was let go, while the other suspects were still being questioned and likely to be presented before a court on the following day.
Federal prosecutors revealed that the individuals were detained after a court official authorized inspections of their residences in the city by officials assisted by explosive sniffer dogs.
In the course of these raids that they found a object which "bore strong resemblances to an improvised explosive device", lead prosecutor Ann Fransen said at a press conference on Thursday.
Searches also found a collection of ball bearings and a additive manufacturing device, with evidence suggesting drone-based payload delivery, she continued.
Fransen said that there had been 80 extremist probes opened in Belgium in the current year - more than the full amount of investigations in last year.
In April, five individuals were convicted for a previous year's plan to attack De Wever while he was holding the position of the mayor of Antwerp.
