Reported Plan to Target Belgian Prime Minister Prevented
Belgium's authorities have arrested three people allegedly involved in planning an assault on the nation's prime minister, Bart de Wever.
Prosecutors characterized the suspected scheme as a "jihadist-inspired terrorist attack" targeting the prime minister and fellow politicians.
During investigations conducted in Antwerp's Deurne district, in proximity to the PM's personal dwelling, officials uncovered a alleged improvised explosive device and proof that the accused were preparing to deploy a unmanned aerial vehicle.
While the prospective targets of the strike were not officially named by the federal prosecutors, Second-in-command Maxime Prevot revealed that the prime minister was one of them.
"The news of a planned assault directed toward PM Bart de Wever is deeply alarming," the official stated in a message on X on Thursday.
"It emphasizes that we are facing a serious terrorist threat and that we have to remain vigilant," he added.
The three individuals detained on allegations of attempted terrorist murder and engagement in the functions of a jihadist network all live in the city of Antwerp, according to the federal prosecutors. They were had birth years in the early 2000s.
By Thursday evening, one of the individuals was freed, while the remaining two were under interrogation and expected to face a judge on the following day.
Federal prosecutors said that the accused were arrested after a magistrate directed inspections of their residences in the urban area by officials backed by bomb detection canines.
Throughout these investigations that they located a item which "bore strong resemblances to an improvised explosive device", federal prosecutor Ann Fransen said at a media briefing on Thursday.
Raids also revealed a collection of ball bearings and a additive manufacturing device, with evidence suggesting drone-based payload delivery, she continued.
The prosecutor stated that there had been 80 extremist probes initiated in Belgium so far this year - surpassing the overall count of instances in 2024.
In April, five suspects were found guilty for a previous year's plan to attack De Wever while he was acting as Antwerp's mayor.
