December 11, 2008 7:21 AM
- Text
Belgians Arrest 14 In Terror Raids
Update, 9:25 EST: All 14 of the suspects will go before investigating magistrates Thursday afternoon. Under Belgian law, they must be charged or released within 24 hours.
We've noted before that this investigation dates back to December 2007, when police began following the trail of Belgian nationals and residents who were going off to fight or training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan. A Belgian counter-terror source says that four Belgians, along with others from different countries, met "an al Qaeda liaison known by his initials, 'M.G.'"
Two of the Belgians returned home several months ago and were put under police surveillance. The third, who is suspected of volunteering for a suicide attack, returned to Belgium on December 4. The federal prosecutor says he "was saying his farewells, so that he could go to paradise with a clear conscience and an easy heart." Police also have seized what they say is likely a martyrdom tape.
The others are suspected of providing logistic and material support. There is still no sign of any explosives.
At least 14 suspected militants with alleged links to al Qaeda have been arrested in terror raids in two Belgian cities. Sources say three of them were allegedly involved in an imminent suicide attack, possibly targeting a European Union summit.
Hundreds of police officers carried out dozens of raids Thursday across Belgium, focusing on the cities of Brussels and Liege.
Fourteen people accused of having links to al Qaeda were arrested. Three of them are suspected of preparing an imminent suicide attack, possibly targeting the EU summit taking place in Brussels Thursday and Friday.
The main press atrium is seen at an EU summit in Brussels, Dec. 11, 2008.
Police sources say one of the would-be suicide attackers had been given the "green light," (though they don't say how or by whom) to carry out the attack and had already said goodbye to those close to him.
However, a Belgian federal prosecutor says authorities "do not know where the suicide attack was to have taken place. It could perhaps have been an attack in Pakistan or Afghanistan, but an attack in Belgium or Europe cannot be ruled out."
The three suspects are said to have recently returned from Afghanistan, where police sources say they underwent training.
Given the uncertainty about the alleged plot, and knowing that the European Summit was taking place, the police "had no choice but to intervene immediately."
A video was sent to Belgian and Dutch TV networks at the end of November threatening attacks in Belgium.
Sources say documents and computers have been seized, but there has been no indication that explosives were found.
The investigation by Belgian authorities began in Dec. 2007, following interception of plans to help convicted al Qaeda in Belgium leader Nizar Trabelsi escape from jail. Police say they concentrated their probe on a group of Belgian Islamic extremists who traveled to either Afghanistan or Pakistan to participate in combat and undergo training and who are "closely linked" to "important al Qaeda figures."
The federal prosecutor claims the investigation "probably permitted us to prevent the execution of a major attack in Brussels at the end of last year."
In strikingly similar raids about one year ago, Belgian police rounded up 14 terror suspects and accused them of plotting to facilitate Trabelsi's escape. A judge later freed all the men, ruling there was not enough evidence to detain them.
It is not immediately clear whether the arrests last year are linked to the Thursday raids in Brussels and Liege.
We've noted before that this investigation dates back to December 2007, when police began following the trail of Belgian nationals and residents who were going off to fight or training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan. A Belgian counter-terror source says that four Belgians, along with others from different countries, met "an al Qaeda liaison known by his initials, 'M.G.'"
Two of the Belgians returned home several months ago and were put under police surveillance. The third, who is suspected of volunteering for a suicide attack, returned to Belgium on December 4. The federal prosecutor says he "was saying his farewells, so that he could go to paradise with a clear conscience and an easy heart." Police also have seized what they say is likely a martyrdom tape.
The others are suspected of providing logistic and material support. There is still no sign of any explosives.
At least 14 suspected militants with alleged links to al Qaeda have been arrested in terror raids in two Belgian cities. Sources say three of them were allegedly involved in an imminent suicide attack, possibly targeting a European Union summit.
Hundreds of police officers carried out dozens of raids Thursday across Belgium, focusing on the cities of Brussels and Liege.
Fourteen people accused of having links to al Qaeda were arrested. Three of them are suspected of preparing an imminent suicide attack, possibly targeting the EU summit taking place in Brussels Thursday and Friday.
(AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
Police sources say one of the would-be suicide attackers had been given the "green light," (though they don't say how or by whom) to carry out the attack and had already said goodbye to those close to him.
However, a Belgian federal prosecutor says authorities "do not know where the suicide attack was to have taken place. It could perhaps have been an attack in Pakistan or Afghanistan, but an attack in Belgium or Europe cannot be ruled out."
The three suspects are said to have recently returned from Afghanistan, where police sources say they underwent training.
Given the uncertainty about the alleged plot, and knowing that the European Summit was taking place, the police "had no choice but to intervene immediately."
A video was sent to Belgian and Dutch TV networks at the end of November threatening attacks in Belgium.
Sources say documents and computers have been seized, but there has been no indication that explosives were found.
The investigation by Belgian authorities began in Dec. 2007, following interception of plans to help convicted al Qaeda in Belgium leader Nizar Trabelsi escape from jail. Police say they concentrated their probe on a group of Belgian Islamic extremists who traveled to either Afghanistan or Pakistan to participate in combat and undergo training and who are "closely linked" to "important al Qaeda figures."
The federal prosecutor claims the investigation "probably permitted us to prevent the execution of a major attack in Brussels at the end of last year."
In strikingly similar raids about one year ago, Belgian police rounded up 14 terror suspects and accused them of plotting to facilitate Trabelsi's escape. A judge later freed all the men, ruling there was not enough evidence to detain them.
It is not immediately clear whether the arrests last year are linked to the Thursday raids in Brussels and Liege.
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