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| Brussels: six arrests in Belgian police raids after suicide bombings – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.49pm GMT | |
| 23:49 | |
| Authorities have not released the names of any of those arrested. But police had been searching since Tuesday for a man seen with the two suicide bombers at Zaventem airport, along with others potentially implicated in the planning of the attacks. | |
| The third man at the airport | |
| Police continue to search for a man seen in CCTV images wearing a hat, sunglasses and light-coloured coat. He is believed to have fled the airport after his suitcase bomb failed to detonate. | |
| The ‘second metro bomber’ | |
| French newspaper Le Monde and Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported earlier on Thursday that a second man, carrying a large bag, was seen on CCTV in the Brussels metro with Khalid el-Bakraoui – a potential second accomplice. It was not clear whether the man died in the blast or was being sought by police. | |
| 11.43pm GMT | |
| 23:43 | |
| At this stage, it is unclear whether the arrest and ongoing raids in France are linked to the operation in Brussels. | |
| Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, said: | |
| At this stage, there is no tangible evidence that links this plot to the attacks in Paris and Brussels. | |
| Cazeneuve said the arrested suspect was of French nationality and belonged to a terrorist network: | |
| These searches follow an arrest by the [French intelligence agency] on Thursday morning that allowed us to stop a planned bombing in France that was at an advanced stage. | |
| 11.33pm GMT | |
| 23:33 | |
| As more information emerges, it appears that although raids are ongoing in Schaerbeek, the Brussels suburb that was the site of a huge police operation earlier this week, none of the six arrests have been made at that location. | |
| Le Soir reports that a “loud bang” was heard by residents of Schaerbeek around 9.45pm. | |
| Updated | |
| at 11.35pm GMT | |
| 11.29pm GMT | |
| 23:29 | |
| Jon Henley | |
| Police in Brussels have made six arrests following Tuesday’s twin airport and metro suicide bombings, after a day on which two Belgian government ministers offered to resign amid mounting criticism of the country’s failure to foil the attacks. | |
| With prosecutors releasing more evidence that the attacks were carried out by the same Islamic State network responsible for November’s carnage in Paris and two suspects still believed to be on the run, several police raids were carried out across Brussels on Thursday evening. | |
| The operation involving Swat teams and armoured cars with helicopter support began soon after 9pm, the state broadcaster, RTBF, said, citing police sources as saying it targeted “people suspected of taking part in the attacks” that killed at least 31 people and injured 300. | |
| Prosecutors confirmed six unidentified people were arrested, including three in a car. | |
| Related: Belgium police arrest six after Brussels suicide bombings | |
| 11.26pm GMT | |
| 23:26 | |
| Eric Van Der Sypt, a spokesman for the federal prosecutors, said three of the arrests were made “outside our door, the federal prosecutor’s office”. | |
| The offices are located in the centre of Brussels, next to the Palace of Justice. | |
| Two other people were arrested elsewhere in the territory of the Belgian capital, and one person was arrested in the peripheral commune of Jette. | |
| Updated | |
| at 11.31pm GMT | |
| 11.18pm GMT | 11.18pm GMT |
| 23:18 | 23:18 |
| Police raids are also continuing in the Argenteuil suburb of Paris, where earlier on Thursday a French national in the “advanced stages” of a plot to attack the country was arrested. | Police raids are also continuing in the Argenteuil suburb of Paris, where earlier on Thursday a French national in the “advanced stages” of a plot to attack the country was arrested. |
| Security forces locked down the area in north-west Paris during a major search, said Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister. | Security forces locked down the area in north-west Paris during a major search, said Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister. |
| A building was evacuated and sniffer dogs and anti-mine experts are at the scene to search for explosives. | A building was evacuated and sniffer dogs and anti-mine experts are at the scene to search for explosives. |
| Related: French police make arrest over 'advanced' terror plot | Related: French police make arrest over 'advanced' terror plot |
| 11.12pm GMT | 11.12pm GMT |
| 23:12 | 23:12 |
| A few more details are emerging of the arrests, via a statement from the federal prosecutors’ office. | A few more details are emerging of the arrests, via a statement from the federal prosecutors’ office. |
| We do not yet know if any of the people arrested are the two men – one from the airport and one from the metro – who it is thought might have escaped the blasts. | We do not yet know if any of the people arrested are the two men – one from the airport and one from the metro – who it is thought might have escaped the blasts. |
| 11.07pm GMT | 11.07pm GMT |
| 23:07 | 23:07 |
| Opening summary | Opening summary |
| Claire Phipps | Claire Phipps |
| There are reports from Brussels – where it is midnight as Thursday tips into Friday – that several arrests have been made in police raids linked to the investigation into this week’s terror attacks on the Belgian capital. | There are reports from Brussels – where it is midnight as Thursday tips into Friday – that several arrests have been made in police raids linked to the investigation into this week’s terror attacks on the Belgian capital. |
| Details are still sketchy but reports from reporters on the scene say police helicopters are in evidence over the city. | Details are still sketchy but reports from reporters on the scene say police helicopters are in evidence over the city. |
| We will bring you the latest on this developing story as it happens. | We will bring you the latest on this developing story as it happens. |