Israel Matzav

Two dead in terror-related raid in Belgium

At least two people were killed on Thursday in a counter-terrorism raid against jihadis in the town of Verviers in eastern Belgium.

Belgian public television channel RTBF reported that the public prosecutor’s office confirmed the deaths of two suspects and arrests of "several" more. The station said there were no casualties among the security forces involved and that several people had been arrested.

Federal prosecutors were quoted as saying there had been a police operation near the center of the city of 55,000, some 70 miles from Brussels.

Explosions and gunfire were apparently heard near the station, according to Belgium's public broadcaster RTBF. The Belga news agency said there were several casualties and police activity was continuing.

"An operation is under way," a source in the mayor's office told AFP without giving further details.

Another official told the agency it was "jihadist-related" and a news conference was scheduled for 8 p.m. local time.

Earlier, a Charleroi man turned himself into authorities and admitted that he had sold weapons to Amédy Coulibaly, the terrorist who murdered four Jews in a Parisian grocery store last week.

Labels: Belgium, counterterrorism, France, Islamic terrorism, jihadist

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:27 PM