Suspects detained in Belgium raids

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Authorities in Belgium said police on Sunday and yesterday arrested 21 people suspected of connections with terrorism following more than twenty raids on Sunday evening and further searches yesterday in Belgium's capital Brussels and Belgian cities Charleroi and Liège. However, Salah Abdeslam, suspected of being part of the attacks in Paris on November 13, was not found.

Police did not discover any guns or explosives in the raids, and Brussels remained in lockdown, with the maximum terror alert for the city. Prime Minister of Belgium Charles Michel said any possible attacks could involve "several individuals striking simultaneously in several places."

In response to the possibility of an attack, the Brussels Metro remained closed yesterday, schools and universities were also closed and police and soldiers patrolled the streets of Belgium's capital city. The search also continued for Salah Abdeslam in Belgium. During a television interview, Abdeslam's brother, Mohammed Abdeslam, encouraged Salah to surrender to the police.

Authorities planned to review of security yesterday to assess the level of security required in Brussels. Prime Minister Michel said he wants Brussels to return to normal: "we are doing everything we can to return to normality as soon as possible".

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Sources

"Brussels lockdown: Belgian police arrest 16 in anti-terror raids" — BBC News Online, November 23, 2015
Jason Burke. "Paris suspect Salah Abdeslam still on run after Belgian police raids" — The Guardian, November 23, 2015
Philip Blenkinsop. "Belgium widens hunt with Brussels on maximum alert" — Reuters, November 22, 2015

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