This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36566336
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Twelve arrests as Belgium swoops on terror suspects | Twelve arrests as Belgium swoops on terror suspects |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police in Belgium have made 12 arrests in a huge anti-terror operation, nearly three months after the deadly bomb attacks on Brussels. | Police in Belgium have made 12 arrests in a huge anti-terror operation, nearly three months after the deadly bomb attacks on Brussels. |
| Those detained overnight are suspected of plotting a terrorist attack, prosecutors say. They were among 40 taken in for questioning. | Those detained overnight are suspected of plotting a terrorist attack, prosecutors say. They were among 40 taken in for questioning. |
| Searches were conducted in 16 municipalities, mainly around Brussels, with checks on 152 lock-up garages. | Searches were conducted in 16 municipalities, mainly around Brussels, with checks on 152 lock-up garages. |
| On 22 March, bombs killed 32 people at a Brussels airport and a metro station. | On 22 March, bombs killed 32 people at a Brussels airport and a metro station. |
| No arms or explosives were found during the searches, which passed off without incident, Belgium's federal prosecutor said in a statement. | No arms or explosives were found during the searches, which passed off without incident, Belgium's federal prosecutor said in a statement. |
| Among the areas where searches took place was Molenbeek, a Brussels district which has become notorious because of its associations with jihadists. | Among the areas where searches took place was Molenbeek, a Brussels district which has become notorious because of its associations with jihadists. |
| The federal prosecutor said the operation had been launched after investigations which "necessitated an immediate intervention". | The federal prosecutor said the operation had been launched after investigations which "necessitated an immediate intervention". |
| However, the Belgian government has not raised the threat level. | However, the Belgian government has not raised the threat level. |
| There were several warnings of new attacks in recent days. | |
| On Friday evening, four federal ministers including Prime Minister Charles Michel were placed under heightened police protection along with their families, Belgian media report. | |
| Belgian police are said to have recently received a warning that a group of militants from the so-called Islamic State (IS) group had left Syria en route for Europe, planning new attacks in Belgium and France. | |
| An unnamed security source was quoted by Belgian newspaper DH (in French) on Wednesday as saying the group had "left Syria about a week-and-a-half ago aiming to reach Europe via Turkey and Greece by boat without passports". | |
| Meanwhile, a Belgian national named as Youssef EA was arrested on Friday and charged on suspicion of terrorist activities in connection with the March attacks, which were claimed by IS. | |
| Belgian media report that he is the eighth person to have been charged over the attacks, which were carried out by three suicide bombers. | Belgian media report that he is the eighth person to have been charged over the attacks, which were carried out by three suicide bombers. |
| Investigators have established connections between the Brussels bombers and the IS attacks on Paris on 13 November, in which 130 people were killed. | |
| Several of the Paris bombers came from Belgium and some of the bombs were made in a flat in Brussels. |