Seven terror suspects with links to IS ‘deprived of their liberty’ in Belgium

Seven people suspected of planning a terror attack in Belgium have been detained, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced on Thursday.

“Seven persons were deprived of their liberty and questioned,” the Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

Almost all the suspects are Chechen nationals belonging to a group of strong supporters of the so-called Islamic State. Three of them have the Belgian nationality.

“The examining magistrate will decide at a later stage whether to bring them before him and possibly issue an arrest warrant. The possible charges are attempted terrorist assassination, participation at the activities of a terrorist group and preparation of a terrorist attack.”

“All of them are suspected of preparing a terrorist attack in Belgium,” the statement also said, adding that the exact target of the planned attack has not yet been determined. 

The suspects were detained after searches by the Federal Judicial Police of East Flanders and an investigating judge specialised in terrorism in West Flanders in Roeselare, Menen, Ostend, Wevelgem and Ghent.