Suspected Scheme to Target Belgian PM Thwarted
Belgian law enforcement have arrested three people suspected of plotting an attack on the country's premier, Bart de Wever.
Federal prosecutors characterized the reported plan as a terrorist act motivated by jihadist ideology targeting the PM and additional elected representatives.
During investigations conducted in the Deurne area of Antwerp, near the prime minister's home, authorities found a suspected homemade bomb and indications that the suspects were preparing to employ a UAV.
While the planned victims of the strike were not publicly identified by the federal prosecutors, Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot confirmed that Belgium's leader was one of them.
"The news of a premeditated strike targeting Premier Bart de Wever is deeply alarming," the official declared in a message on online platforms on Thursday.
"It emphasizes that we are facing a very real terrorism risk and that we have to remain vigilant," he continued.
The three people arrested on charges of attempted terrorist murder and engagement in the functions of a jihadist network all are based in the city of Antwerp, as stated by the prosecutor's office. They were born in three different years between 2001 and 2007.
By the evening of the arrests, one of the individuals was released, while the other suspects were under interrogation and expected to face a judge on the next day.
The prosecution said that the accused were arrested after a magistrate authorized raids of their residences in the urban area by police officers assisted by explosive sniffer dogs.
Throughout these investigations that they found a object which closely resembled a homemade bomb, lead prosecutor Ann Fransen announced at a media briefing on Thursday.
Investigations also uncovered a container of metal spheres and a 3D printer, with "indications that they intended to use a drone to attach a payload", she added.
Fransen stated that there had been 80 extremist probes opened in Belgium this year - more than the full amount of instances in last year.
Earlier this year, five people were convicted for a 2023 plot to attack the prime minister while he was acting as Antwerp's mayor.
