2 arrested for alleged Brussels NYE terror plot

  • 30/12/2015
Belgian police officers patrol on Brussels' Grand Place after the arrests were made (Reuters)
Belgian police officers patrol on Brussels' Grand Place after the arrests were made (Reuters)

Two people have been arrested in Belgium in connection with a plot to attack the country's capital around New Year's Eve, authorities say.

During a number of raids on Sunday and Monday (local time) in the region of Brabant and the city of Liège, authorities found Islamic State propaganda and military style hardware and computer equipment in the homes of the two suspects, the New York Times reports.  

A spokesman for the federal prosecutor's office says investigators believe the pair were "possibly planning" and had the intention to carry out a terror attack on Brussels in "the same style" as the coordinated attacks on Paris in November.

However, no firearms or explosives were found during the raids and authorities haven't established any links to the Paris attacks. They have not identified the suspects.

Four others were held for questioning before being released.

One suspect, believed to be the mastermind, has been charged with leading a terrorist organisations and recruiting others for terrorist purposes.

The other is likely to be charged with being part of a terrorist organisation.

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