Suspected Plot to Strike Belgian PM Foiled
Belgium's authorities have detained three suspects suspected of conspiring to carry out an assault on the country's prime minister, Bart de Wever.
Federal prosecutors characterized the alleged plan as a "jihadist-inspired terrorist attack" targeting the prime minister and other politicians.
During investigations conducted in Antwerp's Deurne district, close to the prime minister's home, investigators found a potential IED and evidence that the accused were planning to deploy a UAV.
While the intended targets of the assault were not officially named by the federal prosecutors, Vice Premier Maxime Prevot confirmed that the prime minister was one of them.
"Information of a premeditated strike targeting PM Bart de Wever is deeply alarming," the deputy prime minister wrote in a post on online platforms on Thursday.
"It emphasizes that we are dealing with a very real terrorist threat and that we have to keep watchful," he continued.
The three people detained on allegations of terrorism-related attempted murder and engagement in the functions of a terrorist group all reside in Antwerp, as stated by the prosecutor's office. They were had birth years in three different years between 2001 and 2007.
On the evening of the arrests, one person was let go, while the remaining two were undergoing questioning and likely to appear in court on the next day.
Legal authorities said that the individuals were arrested after a judge authorized searches of their residences in the location by law enforcement assisted by explosive sniffer dogs.
Throughout these investigations that they discovered a item which closely resembled a homemade bomb, lead prosecutor Ann Fransen stated at a media briefing on the day of the events.
Raids also revealed a collection of ball bearings and a additive manufacturing device, with "indications that they intended to use a drone to attach a payload", she added.
The official stated that there had been 80 terrorism investigations opened in the nation so far this year - exceeding the full amount of investigations in last year.
In April, five people were sentenced for a previous year's plan to attack Belgium's leader while he was serving as the city's chief executive.
