Reported Plan to Strike Belgian Premier Foiled
Belgian authorities have taken into custody three individuals accused of conspiring to carry out an strike on the government's PM, Bart de Wever.
Federal prosecutors characterized the reported plot as a "jihadist-inspired terrorist attack" targeting the prime minister and additional politicians.
During investigations conducted in the Deurne area of Antwerp, close to the premier's personal dwelling, authorities discovered a alleged IED and indications that the individuals were preparing to employ a UAV.
While the intended targets of the strike were not officially named by the federal prosecutors, Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot revealed that Belgium's leader was included in the targets.
"Information of a premeditated attack targeting Prime Minister Bart de Wever is deeply alarming," the deputy prime minister declared in a message on X on the day of the arrests.
"It highlights that we are facing a serious terrorism risk and that we have to stay alert," he continued.
The three suspects arrested on suspicion of attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a extremist organization all are based in the city of Antwerp, per the prosecutor's office. They were with years of birth in three different years between 2001 and 2007.
As of the evening of the arrests, one person was let go, while two others were still being questioned and expected to face a judge on Friday.
Legal authorities revealed that the accused were detained after a judge authorized searches of their homes in the city by officials backed by bomb detection canines.
In the course of these raids that they discovered a item which appeared to be an IED, lead prosecutor Ann Fransen stated at a press conference on that day.
Investigations also uncovered a collection of ball bearings and a additive manufacturing device, with signs of drone weaponization plans, she continued.
Fransen said that there had been eighty counter-terrorism cases launched in Belgium in the current year - exceeding the total number of investigations in 2024.
In April, five people were found guilty for a scheme last year to target De Wever while he was serving as the mayor of Antwerp.
