Brussels shopping center closed off for security operation

A suspect who triggered a bomb alert in Brussels was wearing a false explosive belt, judicial sources told the Belga news agency, as police began scaling back a security perimeter around the targeted shopping centre.

The shopping mall has been evacuated.

Police and the military patrolled around at least one main entrance to the City 2 shopping centre in the capital.

Charles Michel, the Belgium Prime Minister, meanwhile said that “an emergency crisis meeting” would be held this morning.

He called police early this morning saying he’d been kidnapped and given an explosive belt which could be set-off remotely.

Belgium has remained under a terror alert since attacks in March on the Brussels airport and subway killed 32 people.

Police later searched the house of the suspect’s mother where they found the remains of the material used in the fake belt.

A vehicle corresponding to a detailed description the man gave police was found parked in a street in the Schaerbeek area of Brussels. The man who dropped him off in the Nieuwstraat, has also been apprehended.

Bilal El Makhoukhi, a 27-year-old Brussels resident arrested in April, also took part, although his suspected role in the Belgium attacks is not clear. Authorities have identified the man by initials as J.B and prosecutors have reported that he has a history of psychiatric problems and a criminal record.

After a meeting of the National Security Council, Michel told journalists “the situation is now under control”.

Mr Michel later said the situation was under control, adding that security services remained “extremely vigilant”.

Officials had arrested three people, charging them with attempted terrorist murders on the suspicion they were plotting to attack people watching the Belgian soccer game on Saturday in public places.

The authorities reported after the crisis center meeting has reported that the terror level in the country is still three, which is the second highest in history.

A Brussels shopping mall, an American fast-food chain and police could be among their targets, it emerged.