HIBAPRESS
Belgian authorities announced Thursday the arrest of three young men suspected of planning a terrorist attack using explosive drones, inspired by extremist ideas.
Media reports revealed that the Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever was among the potential political figures targeted. Federal Prosecutor Ann Franssen said in a press conference that the arrests took place in the city of Antwerp as part of an investigation into "an attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a terrorist group," adding that the preliminary evidence indicates that the suspects were planning a terrorist attack inspired by jihadist thought against political figures. Franssen explained that the investigation also revealed the detainees' intention to build a drone capable of carrying an explosive charge, noting that the police confiscated an incomplete homemade bomb during the search operations, along with a bag containing metal pellets. A 3D printer was also found in the home of one of the suspects, believed to have been intended for manufacturing parts used in carrying out the attack. Despite the prosecutor's office refusing to identify the intended targets, Flemish media confirmed that De Wever was among them, especially since one of the houses that was raided is located a few hundred meters from his residence in Antwerp. Commenting on the incident, Theo Francken, the Belgian Minister of Defense, wrote on the "X" platform: "Prime Minister Bart, we fully support you and your family. Thank you to the security forces for their vigilance." The authorities stated that the three suspects were born in 2001, 2002, and 2007, and two of them were questioned by the Federal Police, to be brought before an investigating judge on Friday, while the third was temporarily released pending the completion of investigations.
