Belgium: Police arrest 12 suspected of planning new attack

A soldier stands near broken windows after explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels, Belgium, March 22, 2016. Reuters

Twelve people suspected of planning new attacks were arrested across Belgium overnight after police carried out about 40 house searches in the country, the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement on Saturday.

"In connection with a criminal investigation concerning terrorism... 40 persons were taken for questioning. Twelve among them were arrested. The investigating judge will decide on their possible detention later today," the statement said.

Europe is on high alert as the Euro 2016 soccer tournament is under way in neighbouring France. Islamist suicide bombers killed 32 people in Brussels in March following attacks in Paris in November in which 130 people died.

Investigators have confirmed links between the perpetrators, some of whom were based in Belgium.

Flemish public broadcaster VTM said the people arrested overnight were suspected of planning an attack in Brussels this weekend during one of Belgium's soccer matches in the Euros.

Belgian police on Wednesday received an anti-terror alert warning that a group of Islamic State fighters recently left Syria en route for Europe planning attacks in Belgium and France, security officials said.

On Friday police arrested and detained a man named as Youssef E.A, a Belgian national, on suspicion of taking part in terrorist activities in connection with the Brussels attacks.

related articles
Pope Francis: Christianity and Islam must integrate in Europe

Pope Francis: Christianity and Islam must integrate in Europe

We should all be worried about Government\'s plan to tackle \'extremism\'
We should all be worried about Government's plan to tackle 'extremism'

We should all be worried about Government's plan to tackle 'extremism'

Belgium: More than 100 churches at risk of closure under archbishop\'s plan
Belgium: More than 100 churches at risk of closure under archbishop's plan

Belgium: More than 100 churches at risk of closure under archbishop's plan

News
Calls for urgent policy reforms to address widening marriage gap between rich and poor
Calls for urgent policy reforms to address widening marriage gap between rich and poor

A new report released by the Marriage Foundation has called for urgent policy changes by the government to address what it describes as a "calamitous" marriage gap of 51 per cent between wealthy and low-income couples.

Bear Grylls talks about faith in spite of doubts at Flame 2025
Bear Grylls talks about faith in spite of doubts at Flame 2025

Grylls described faith as an adventure and a journey.

Bible sales surge by 87% as Generation Z rediscovers faith
Bible sales surge by 87% as Generation Z rediscovers faith

Bible sales in the UK have risen sharply, increasing by 87 per cent from £2.69 million in 2019 to £5.02 million in 2024, according to new data from SPCK Group and Nielsen Book Data.

Lent and Ramadan have sparked complaints over the ‘woke’ storyline in BBC Radio drama The Archers
Lent and Ramadan have sparked complaints over the ‘woke’ storyline in BBC Radio drama The Archers

BBC Radio 4’s long-running rural drama The Archers has come under fire for its recent exploration of Ramadan, with many listeners criticising the decision to feature a Christian character, Lynda Snell, fasting in the run-up to Lent.