Brussels – Belgian prosecutors said early on Monday in Brussels that police arrested 16 terrorism suspects in a major security sweep across the city.
They said the massive operation saw19 raids carried out late on Sunday across Brussels, plus three search warrants carried out in the city of Charleroi.
Eric Van- der- Sijpt, Spokesman for Belgian State Prosecutors, said that a judge would decide later on Monday if the suspects could be held.
He said no weapons or explosives were found in the police sweep.
Van- der- Sijpt said Brussels had been under the highest terrorism alert since Saturday.
“In the city’s Molenbeek district, officers fired on a car that drove at police.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
“The wounded driver fled but was later captured, though authorities were still investigating whether the incident was terrorism-related,’’ he said.
He said the multiple suspects connected to the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris, where 130 people were killed and 352 wounded, had ties to Brussels.
Van- der- Sijpt noted that Salah Abdeslam, brother of one of the Paris suicide bombers, was not among the suspects arrested in the overnight raids.
He said the suspected ringleader of the Paris attacks has been the target of a manhunt by Belgian police since shortly after the coordinated shootings and bombings at several locations in the French capital.
“Abdeslam, who was believed to have been living in the Molenbeek district, is suspected of involvement in the Paris attacks before fleeing the Belgian capital.
“Brussels remained on the highest terrorism alert following a decision by the Belgian national Security Council.
The current status, Level 4, means there is a serious and immediate risk in the Belgian capital,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, said government was so worried about a similar attack like the one in Paris.
He said government was planning to return the situation to normal as soon as possible, and security authorities were to meet on Monday afternoon to “reassess the situation.
“Until then, the Brussels underground was not operating, and schools and universities remained shuttered.
“Citizens were advised to avoid high-traffic areas including shopping centres, stadiums and train stations.
“The rest of Belgium was at security threat Level 3, which means an attack is “possible and likely,” he said
Bernard Clerfayt,Mayor of the District of Schaerbeek, said the danger was real, because it was said that two terrorists were in Brussels territory and could commit dangerous acts.(dpa/NAN)
