Alleged Scheme to Attack Belgian Prime Minister Foiled
Belgium's law enforcement have arrested three individuals allegedly involved in planning an strike on the government's prime minister, Bart de Wever.
Prosecutors characterized the alleged plan as a "jihadist-inspired terrorist attack" targeting the prime minister and additional government officials.
During raids conducted in the Deurne area of Antwerp, near the prime minister's personal dwelling, officials discovered a alleged homemade bomb and indications that the suspects were planning to use a UAV.
While the intended targets of the assault were not officially named by the legal authorities, Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot revealed that de Wever was among them.
"The news of a planned strike aimed at PM Bart de Wever is extremely shocking," the official declared in a post on online platforms on Thursday.
"This underscores that we are dealing with a genuine extremist danger and that we have to keep watchful," he added.
The three suspects taken into custody on allegations of terrorism-related attempted murder and engagement in the activities of a extremist organization all live in the city of Antwerp, according to the legal authorities. They were born in 2001, 2002 and 2007.
As of the evening of the arrests, one of the individuals was let go, while two others were under interrogation and expected to appear in court on the next day.
Federal prosecutors stated that the accused were arrested after a court official ordered inspections of their residences in the city by police officers assisted by explosives-trained dogs.
In the course of these investigations that they found a item which appeared to be an IED, federal prosecutor Ann Fransen stated at a press conference on that day.
Investigations also found a container of metal spheres and a 3D printer, with "indications that they intended to use a drone to attach a payload", she continued.
The official disclosed that there had been 80 terrorism investigations opened in the nation this year - surpassing the overall count of investigations in last year.
During the spring, five people were sentenced for a scheme last year to target Belgium's leader while he was serving as the mayor of Antwerp.
