Eight suspects arrested in Molenbeek in Brussels

BRUSSELS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Brussels Federal Judicial Police conducted several searches on Sunday in Brussels and areas of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Grammont and Mechelen. No explosives were found but eight people were arrested, said the federal prosecutor on Monday.

In the interests of the investigation, no further information or clarification will be given,the prosecutor added.

The eight men were arrested on suspicion of preparing an attack. A report from Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure' indicated that the searches were conducted mainly in areas in or adjacent to the town of Molenbeek.

Several of the arrested have reported links to a boxing club in Ixelles in Brussels. It was where the investigators were alerted by a conversation in which the suspects allegedly discussed a matter involving units of "25 to 200", according to a source who told Belgian press RTL info.

The police initially believed these numbers were in direct reference to gun cartridges, later realized that it was talks about drugs.

A brother of one suspect has links to a terrorist well known to the investigators, according to local press. Enditem