Belgium Detains Al-Qaeda Suspects

by Sanjay Jha | December 12, 2008 at 12:36 am

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Police in Belgium have detained 14 people on Thursday. They are suspected of links with al Qaeda, including one who may have been planning a suicide attack. Belgium is in high state of security due to an ongoing European Union summit.

Police in Belgium say they have arrested 14 people suspected of being members of the al-Qaeda network.

Federal Prosecutor Johan Delmulle said police believed one of those held was planning to carry out a suicide attack.

The suspect had been given the go-ahead for the attack and had already said good-bye to his family, he added.

Correspondents say the authorities appear to have been prompted to act immediately as EU leaders were holding an end-of-year meeting in Brussels.

Security remains tight around the two-day summit in the capital, but Belgian police say it is no tighter than usual for such a gathering.

"It is clear that we have to take the terror threat seriously," Prime Minister Yves Leterme said as he entered the summit on Thursday.