Kathianne
01-15-2015, 08:37 PM
http://news.sky.com/story/1408633/suspected-jihadists-killed-in-belgium-raid
Suspected Jihadists Killed In Belgium Raid
Two men die after they open fire on police who believe the group was about to launch a major terror attack, prosecutors say.
Belgian police have killed two men in a fierce gunfight - foiling a major and imminent terror attack in the country, according to authorities.
They died in the eastern town of Verviers during one of 10 raids as part of an investigation into Islamist extremists returning from fighting in Syria.
As police closed in near a train station, the suspects opened fire with automatic weapons and there was an intense shootout for several minutes before the pair were killed, said a prosecutor.
Eric Van Der Sypt also said no officers or civilians were hurt in the raid on an upper level of a building.
He said: "The suspects immediately and for several minutes opened fire with military weaponry and handguns on the special units of the federal police before they were neutralised."
He said police buildings were the target and an attack had been expected in hours or days.
One person, who was reportedly badly injured in the raid, was arrested.
Belgium's public broadcaster RTBF said the operation was on an apartment above a bakery and explosions and gunfire were heard near the train station.
The website of La Meuse newspaper quoted an unidentified police officer as saying: "We've averted a Belgian Charlie Hebdo."
The French satirical magazine was attacked last week by brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi who killed 12 people.
But Mr Van Der Sypt said there was, for the time being, no direct connection to the Paris attacks.
He said more anti-terrorist raids were taking place in the Brussels region and Verviers, adding that Belgium's terror alert level was raised to its second-highest level.
...
Suspected Jihadists Killed In Belgium Raid
Two men die after they open fire on police who believe the group was about to launch a major terror attack, prosecutors say.
Belgian police have killed two men in a fierce gunfight - foiling a major and imminent terror attack in the country, according to authorities.
They died in the eastern town of Verviers during one of 10 raids as part of an investigation into Islamist extremists returning from fighting in Syria.
As police closed in near a train station, the suspects opened fire with automatic weapons and there was an intense shootout for several minutes before the pair were killed, said a prosecutor.
Eric Van Der Sypt also said no officers or civilians were hurt in the raid on an upper level of a building.
He said: "The suspects immediately and for several minutes opened fire with military weaponry and handguns on the special units of the federal police before they were neutralised."
He said police buildings were the target and an attack had been expected in hours or days.
One person, who was reportedly badly injured in the raid, was arrested.
Belgium's public broadcaster RTBF said the operation was on an apartment above a bakery and explosions and gunfire were heard near the train station.
The website of La Meuse newspaper quoted an unidentified police officer as saying: "We've averted a Belgian Charlie Hebdo."
The French satirical magazine was attacked last week by brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi who killed 12 people.
But Mr Van Der Sypt said there was, for the time being, no direct connection to the Paris attacks.
He said more anti-terrorist raids were taking place in the Brussels region and Verviers, adding that Belgium's terror alert level was raised to its second-highest level.
...