Brussels police detain six more in New Year’s terror plot

Thursday, authorities announced that six more people had been detained for questioning in connection with the alleged New Year’s plot to be carried out in Brussels.

The suspect, Ayoub Bazzarouj, a 22-year-old Belgian citizen, was arrested after the search of a house in the Molenbeek section of Brussels on Wednesday, officials said.

Later on today, a court will decide whether their stay in police custody could be extended, as had happened in the case of two other terror suspects who had been arrested earlier this week.

The first three in the group were already released hours after their arrests on Thursday.

Both are members of the Kamikaze Riders, a Brussels-based group that carries out motor bike stunts which can be seen in online videos.

Authorities in the Belgian capital Brussels on Wednesday called off the city’s traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks display, citing fears of an attack.

Fireworks explode around The Elizabeth Tower, also known as “Big Ben” and the London Eye during New Year’s celebrations in central London just after midnight on Jan 1, 2016.

“It is better not to take risks, ” Mayeur said, adding “we can’t check everyone”. Paris, still reeling from the November 13 slaughter of 130 people, has also cancelled its main fireworks display on the Champs Elysees avenue.

“This New Year’s Eve prosecution underscores the threat of ISIL even in upstate NY, but demonstrates our determination to immediately stop any who would cause harm in its name”, said federal prosecutor William Hochul.

Belgium has arrested six terror suspects.

In at least two capitals – Turkey’s Ankara and Belgium’s Brussels – officials also said they had disrupted plots to strike at New Year’s celebrations that stretch into today.

Vienna police had said that several European cities had been warned of possible New Year’s Eve attacks and that revelers in the Austrian capital would face tighter checks.

The firework display and festivities that attracted 100,000 people previous year will not go ahead after the anti-terror raid. It said no further details would be made public, and that the investigation was continuing. Heightened security measures are scheduled to be put in place for many large-scale celebrations Thursday night, including the famous New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square in Manhattan.