Belgians arrest 2 accused in New Year's terror plot

by peanutbutterjellybean 30th December 2015, 5:58 am

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/29/europe/belgium-terror-arrests/index.html

Story highlights
Men discussed attacking places where crowds gather as well as police and military facilities, counterterrorism official says
Plot appears to have been inspired, but not directed, by ISIS, a senior Belgian counterterrorism official says
Prosecutor's office: Plot targeted Brussels for New Year's celebrations

(CNN)Belgian authorities have arrested two people on suspicion of being involved in a plot to attack "emblematic sites" in Belgium's capital during New Year's celebrations, the country's federal prosecutor's office said Tuesday.

The men are members of a Muslim biker gang called the Kamikaze Riders and are suspected to have discussed attacking Brussels' Grand Place square and other places where crowds gather as well as police and military facilities, a senior Belgian counterterrorism official told CNN on condition of anonymity.

The plot appears to have been inspired, but not directed, by the ISIS terror group, the counterterrorism official said.

The arrests came as investigators conducted several searches in the Brussels area, as well as the surrounding province of Flemish Brabant and the eastern Belgian city of Liege, on Sunday and Monday, the prosecutor's office said.

Authorities were investigating an alleged plot that was to target several prominent sites in Brussels during "the end of the year/New Year's celebrations," according to the prosecutor's office, which released no further details about the plan.

The prosecutor's office said the arrests are not linked to November's deadly Paris terror attacks, which authorities say involved a number of militants who had been living in Belgium.

Investigators seized computer equipment, military-type training outfits and ISIS propaganda material, the office said.

The names of the suspects were not released. But the counterterrorism official said they were based in the Brussels and Vilvoorde areas, had easy access to weapons and had been involved in robberies and other criminal activity.

Because of the pair's access to weapons, police felt they had to act quickly after the two allegedly discussed the terror plans, the counterterrorism official said.

One of the men was arrested on suspicion of playing a leading role in the threat of attacks, participating in the activities of a terrorist group as a leader and recruiting to commit terrorist offenses as author or co-author, the prosecutor's office said.

The other was being held on suspicion of playing a leading role in the threat of attacks and taking part in the activities of a terrorist group as an author or co-author, the office said.