Man charged over alleged terror plot in Belgium

Belgian authorities on Saturday charged a man over an alleged plot to launch a new attack in Belgium as Europe remained on edge following a wave of jihadist bloodshed in France and Germany. Nourredine H., was detained with his brother Hamza H., on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack somewhere in Belgium. A judge on Saturday charged Nourredine with attempting to commit a terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a terrorist organization, and extended his custody. His brother was released without charge.

Based on provisional results from the investigation, it appears that there were plans to carry out an attack somewhere in Belgium.

Belgian prosecutors

Public broadcaster RTBF said that Nourredine had previously helped others travel to fight in Syria and had recently travelled widely across Europe, making a number of contacts in France. It added he was looking for weapons, which had prompted Belgian investigators to act. The prosecutor’s office said there was for now no link to the suicide bombings on March 22 at Brussels airport and a metro station near the European Union headquarters that left 32 people dead. Those attacks were claimed by ISIS. Brussels, home to European Union institutions and the headquarters of NATO, and Belgium in general are on a security alert level of three out of a maximum of four, a “serious” status with a “possible and probable” threat.