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Roundup: Belgian authorities carry out dozen raids on suspected terrorists Thursday

Xinhua, January 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

Authorities in Belgium carried out a dozen raids on suspected terrorists on Thursday in a police crackdown on possible jihadists, a spokesman for the prosecution service said.

Speaking after an armed raid on a house in the eastern Belgian town of Verviers, Eric Van Der Sypt of the federal prosecution service confirmed earlier reports that two people had been killed in a shoot-out with police. A third person was injured in the raid.

No civilians were injured, Eric Van Der Sypt confirmed.

According to Van Der Sypt, the raid was part of a series of targeted responses to information that a terrorist cell in the country was planning "major terrorist attacks." The cell is believed to have been comprised mainly of people who had recently returned from Syria.

In addition to the raid in Verviers, 10 other raids were carried out in the Brussels districts of Vilvoorde, Brussels, Zaventem, Schaerbeek, and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.

An armed man was also arrested on the Brussels metro. According to media reports, witnesses said he was heard to shout "Allahu Akbar" at the time of his arrest. Endit