Belgian authorities charge 3 in major anti-terror raid

The federal prosecutor’s office said Saturday that homes and vehicle ports were searched in 16 municipalities, mostly in and around Brussels.

Heightened security at Antwerp Central train station on Saturday.

Belgian Police detained 12 suspects on Friday night during an anti-terror operation in the country’s capital and regions of Wallonia and Flemish.

Prime Minister Charles Michel said the nation would remain “extremely vigilant, hour by hour”, but that the terror level across the nation would remain at the second-highest level, meaning a threat of an attack “is possible and likely”.

On Wednesday, Belgian police received an anti-terror alert warning that a group of Islamic State (ISIS) fighters recently left Syria en route for Europe planning attacks in Belgium and France.

“We considered on the basis of the crisis centre advice that we had to maintain the events and I want to recall again what I have said many times, we want to continue living normally”.

Over a million foreign football fans are expected to visit France during the course of the tournament, which runs until 10 July.

Security was tight in Bordeaux, where Belgium played Ireland.

Fans arriving at a big-screen showing of the game in downtown Brussels went through toughened security checks and face police scrutiny, the Belga news agency reported.

The statement said 40 people were questioned and 12 detained. No arms or explosives were found during the raids that took place in 16 municipalities but authorities said that an investigation had determined there was a need for “immediate intervention”. In March, twin bombings struck the Brussels airport and a metro station, killing 32 people. The federal government has deployed soldiers on streets around prominent buildings and introduced increased security checks for travellers and commuters. The overnight anti-terrorism raids were not linked to the threat to politicians, RTBF said.

The man has been charged with “participation in the activities of a terrorist group, terrorist murders and attempts to terrorist murders, as a perpetrator, co-perpetrator of accomplice”, Belgium’s federal prosecutor said.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the violence in Brussels, which hosts the headquarters of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation military alliance.

In a video posted on social networks, Abballa, linked it to the soccer tournament, saying: “The Euros will be a graveyard”.