Belgian police say they moved in on members of a terrorist cell planning to launch “large-scale” attacks, with two terror suspects killed and another suspected captured in a raid at a location in the town of Verviers, about 80 miles southeast of Brussels.
The suspects who were fired upon during the raid had been under surveillance since recently returning to Belgium from Syria, prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt told reporters. No bystanders or law enforcement personnel were injured in the operation.
Sypt said the cell was not thought to be linked to groups linked to the recent terror attacks in Paris and the investigation of the suspects in Belgium had already been ongoing for a few weeks.
Joining the conversation from Paris to discuss the operation in Belgium – as well as the latest developments in France – is anti-terrorism expert Fabrice Magnier. “Actually there is no evidence that there is a link to the terror attacks in Paris,” Fabrice said, repeating what authorities in Belgium have also emphasized.
But he did say that French authorities had confirmed that one of the suspects did in fact have a link to Belgium. “Amedy Coulibaly bought his weapon for the terror attack in Paris in Belgium,” referring to the suspect in the Paris kosher grocery store attack who was killed by police in a raid of the shop.
“We have ongoing strong investigations because the threat is still very real in France too,” he said about the current anti-terrorism efforts going on.
“Police authorities are doing a great job and that’s why we elevated our security status to (the highest possible) level a few days ago. It’s not because just show business just to show the population while doing nothing, we are doing something because the threat is there.”
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