Police in Belgium hunt for missing explosives amid fear of suicide attack at tournament

Weapons and explosives stored in a safe house with the intention of being used by terrorists for attacks in France during the Euro 2016 football championship are yet to be found, the Independent quoted Belgian security officials as saying on Sunday.

The cache was hidden, the security officials added, by the Islamist terrorists who carried out the recent atrocities in Brussels and Paris.

Forty houses were among properties searched and 40 people taken in for questioning in raids across Belgium overnight and into Saturday morning. Twelve of those detained were placed under arrest, and three Belgian nationals within those 12 have been charged with attempting to commit terrorist murder and with taking part in the activities of a terrorist group, Belgium's federal prosecutor said on Saturday. Nine others have been released.

There were also claims that there may have been plans for an attack in Brussels during Belgium’s game against the Republic of Ireland in the championship taking place on Saturday.

But no arms or explosives were recovered despite extensive searches, which included 15 garages and lock-ups and the threat of an attack in France remain potent say security officials.

The raids were part of an intense operation which has been going on since the suicide attacks, claimed by Daesh, in Brussels three months ago killing 32 people. Four safe houses were found around the time, but the security agencies believe there was another one, with weapons, which was not located.

One of those suspected of being involved in planning future attacks in France is a Swedish national of Syrian background, Osama Krayem who is thought to have fought for Daesh in Syria. He was arrested in Brussels on 8 April and charged with terrorist offences, including murder, in connection with the March bombings in Belgium and last November’s Paris attacks that killed 130 people, which was also claimed by Daesh. He is believed to have purchased the suitcases used in the Brussels airport attack, was seen wearing a backpack before an attack on the metro station standing alongside Khalid El-Bakraoui, who blew himself up soon afterwards at Maelbeek station.

The police were told by Krayem that he was due to carry out the next suicide attack, at Petillon station, using his own backpack bomb. However, he decided not to go through with it at the last minute and claimed he later flushed the explosives down a toilet. A number of senior security officials say that they do not believe his account of what happened to the explosives and are apprehensive that they have been hidden for future use.

Source : MENA