The Botanique concert hall in Brussels has confirmed that it was a foiled terror attack for which security forces have detained three minors and one adult in their custody.
Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper), In the wake of a foiled terror attack on a concert hall in Brussels, the hall authorities have reinforced their commitment to maintaining security standards. Despite the unsettled attack, all scheduled events and gatherings will continue according to the established security protocols.
The move planned by three minors and one adult was fended out before it could bring any chaos and harm. All of them were arrested on Sunday morning under federal investigation, indicating the suspected terrorists had connections with violent Islamic Extremists.
In two investigations by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Dendermonde Prosecutor’s Office, all four people were arrested during searches this weekend caught during security forces’ searches during the weekend It concerns three minors from Ninove, Brussels, and Charleroi, and one adult from Liège who were all allegedly organizing an attack.
“These are individuals suspected of preparing a terrorist attack,” Eric Van Der Sypt of the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office told VRT. “We have to frame the individuals in the jihadist milieu.” Speaking to VTM NEWS on Sunday, Federal Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt (Open Vld) said that they communicated via “closed chat groups.” It is now being investigated whether they had links to other people at home and/or abroad.
“The suspects are indeed very young. This is unfortunately a confirmation of the current threat picture,” Van Tigchelt added. “It is not the first time that we see young people radicalizing very quickly, especially through social media, through closed communication groups.”
How the security forces managed everything?
The four suspects aged between 15 and 18 were put into custody for allegedly communicating online to commit a terror attack on a concert venue in Brussels. They reportedly decided on specific dates for their plan within the coming weeks. That same day, it emerged the imminent attack was targeting the Botanique concert hall near the Brussels North Station. The concert hall’s team confirmed on Monday evening that, as soon as this information was shared with them, they all went to work “to follow this up as best they could.”
In a statement seen by Belga News Agency, the team noted it was in contact with the security services throughout the weekend. After consultation with the services, it was deemed that the current security measures, which have been in place since the 2015 Paris terror attacks and the 2016 terror attacks in Belgium, are adequate.
After the attacks, the venue’s security team remained vigilant and took additional measures, checking bags to safeguard the entrance and across the sites. “These measures are evaluated on an ongoing basis,” the venue noted, adding that “planned events and concerts can continue according to the current security standards”. It further stated, “Every effort will be made to optimally guarantee the safety of the public, the artists and the staff,”
What do we know so far?
The Brussels foiled attack suspects three minors from Ninove, Brussels, and Charleroi respectively, and one adult from Liège was in contact with each other online, where they allegedly planned to commit a terror attack on the concert hall. All four are allegedly referred to a terrorist group Islamic State (IS) while there were no weapons or explosives were discovered during subsequent searches. However, according to suspects, they searched the weapons on the dark web.
One of them, the 18-year-old suspect was brought before the investigating judge on Monday. “He was charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group and preparatory acts to commit a terrorist attack,” the Federal Prosecutor’s Office confirmed in a press release on Monday afternoon. “According to the first elements of the investigation, it seems that a Brussels concert hall was specifically and concretely targeted, with an action planned within a few weeks.”
Investigators said that of the four people arrested, the Brussels investigating judge specialized in terrorism questioned the only adult. He was charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group and preparatory acts aiming to commit a terrorist attack. It is still unclear whether there were more people involved in the planning of this attempted attack. However, the prosecutor has kept the personal details of all minor suspects confidential.
