Deaths in Belgium terrorism raid
January 15, 2015
The Belgian federal prosecutor has confirmed that two people were shot dead and one arrested in the eastern town of Verviers as part of a series of raids that are under way in both Verviers and the Brussels region.
Magistrate Eric Van der Sypt told reporters in Brussels on Thursday evening that a suspected terrorist cell had planned "major attacks," and that the suspects immediately opened fire "before being neutralized."
No police officers or civilians were hurt. The suspects had recently returned from Syria, the prosecutor said. At present, he said there was no direct connection to last week's attacks in Paris.
Belgium's terror alert level has been raised to the second highest level. Another news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. local time (10:00 UTC) on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, Belgian authorities said they were looking into a possible link between a man arrestd in the southern city of Charleroi for illegal weapons trade and Amedy Coulibaly, who prosecutors say killed four people in a Jewish supermarket last week.
ng/sb (AP, Reuters, AFP)