Hat tip Gates of Vienna
Yesterday, Belgian police in Brussels and Antwerp carried out the arrests of 8 persons suspected of planning an Islamic terrorist attack in Belgium. The below article from Nieuwsblad (Be) is translated from Dutch by Fousesquawk. We are working on translating a Belgian video as well
https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20230328_97265957
After frustrating two possible attacks: Suspect teenager arrested three years ago for planning terror attack
In two different cases in Antwerp and Brussels, a group of radicalized youths has been arrested, and thus, two attacks have possibly been foiled. Eight people are under arrest. One of the suspects is a 19-year-old Kosovar, who, at the end of 2020 was making plans to carry out an attack on a police station.
The Antwerp Federal Judicial Police, for some time, had an eye on a group of radicalized youths. According to our information, it concerns a group of adults, among others, a man from Merksem, a man from Duerne, and a girlfriend of one of them. It is reportedly young men who, in a short time, became radicalized within the radical Islamistist environment.
At least one of them, according to the federal prosecutor's office, had concrete, advanced plans to carry out an attack. The group was reportedly searching for weapons. The target was not yet determined, according to the federal prosecutor's office. Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open VLD-Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats party) describes it as "a plot against government entities". Whether weapons have actually been found, the (justice authorities) do not say.
Oostkantons
On social media, the group was in contact with a man from Eupen in the Oostkantons (Eastern Kantons-region in E. Belgium). 19-year-old S.B., in October 2020, as a 17-year-old, was arrested together with a 16-year-old friend, on the order of the federal prosecutor's office. The duo were in contact with another radicalized person in Austria. In a video, they had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State, in which they made plans to carry out an attack on a police station in Luik.
The two were then sent to a juvenile institution by a juvenile court judge.
S.B. was currently free under supervision, but he was in a radicalized environment in Verviers. This time, he was reportedly not the key figure in a planned attack, but he possibly inspired the group in Antwerp.
Second group
The Federal Judicial Police in Brussels were also keeping an eye on a group of radicalized youths. This concerns three persons from Molenbeek, Schaarbeck, and Zaventam. Here also, they discovered that one of them was making plans to carry out a terror attack and was looking for weapons.
When the investigators determined that the two groups knew each other and were in contact, it was decided to intervene. On Monday evening, a search of eight addresses was organized, and eight suspects were (arrested).
On Wednesday, the eight were brought before an investigating judge, who must decide on their detention.
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