Belgian police arrest eight suspects in two terrorism investigations

Eight people were arrested in Belgium on Monday evening, as part of two separate terrorism investigations. Five of them allegedly had plans to carry out a terrorist attack in Belgium, RTBF reports. The news was confirmed by the federal public prosecutor's office on Tuesday.

The Antwerp police carried out five searches on Monday evening in Merksem, Borgerhout, Deurne, Sint-Jans-Molenbeek and Eupen, the federal prosecutor's office reported. The results of these searches are not being communicated, but five people were taken in for questioning.

"The investigating judge will later decide whether to bring them before him and possibly issue an arrest warrant," the prosecutor's office said. "At least two of those involved are suspected of having made preparations to carry out a terrorist attack in Belgium. The target of the attack had not yet been determined."

In a different case, Brussels police carried out three searches in Zaventem, Sint-Jans-Molenbeek and Schaarbeek, the federal prosecutor's office said. "In this file, three persons were deprived of their liberty and taken for questioning. Here too, the investigating judge will later decide whether to bring them before her and issue an arrest warrant. These persons are also suspected of having made preparations to commit a terrorist attack in Belgium."

"There are links between the two cases but the further investigation will have to reveal the extent to which the two groups were intertwined," the federal prosecutor's office added.

^{© BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ}