BRUSSELS (BN24) — Belgian federal authorities have arrested three young suspects in connection with what prosecutors say was a foiled jihadist-inspired terrorist plot targeting Prime Minister Bart De Wever and other politicians. Federal investigators say the suspects were allegedly planning to use a drone to deploy an explosive device in a high-level attack.
Federal prosecutor Ann Fransen announced Thursday that the suspects, born in 2001, 2002 and 2007, were detained during a morning operation in Antwerp. They are accused of attempted terrorist murder and participating in the activities of a terrorist group. Two suspects remain in custody and will appear before an investigating judge, while the third has been released pending further investigation.
“There are indications that the intention was to carry out a jihadist-inspired terrorist attack targeting politicians,” Fransen said at a press conference. Authorities executed four house searches across Antwerp with support from bomb disposal squads and federal police tactical units.
According to Gazet van Antwerpen and VRT broadcaster, Bart De Wever — the Flemish nationalist leader of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) and Belgium’s prime minister — was among the intended targets. De Wever’s spokesperson, Philippe Kerckaert, declined to comment when contacted by POLITICO. Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot confirmed on X later in the day that De Wever had been the primary target of the planned attack, calling the revelation “deeply shocking.” He said Belgium is stepping up measures to counter emerging terrorist methods, including the malicious use of drones.
During the raids, investigators discovered evidence indicating plans to use a drone to deploy an explosive device in the Antwerp district of Deurne. The device, described by the prosecutor’s office as resembling an improvised explosive device, was found alongside a bag of steel balls intended to maximize damage. A 3D printer seized from a second suspect was allegedly used to manufacture bomb components.
Fransen said the case underscores Belgium’s continuing vulnerability to terrorism. “This file shows that all security services must remain vigilant against the risk of terrorist attacks,” she said.
Belgian prosecutors have already opened around 80 new terrorism investigations in 2025, surpassing the total number recorded in 2024. The arrests come nearly a decade after the March 2016 Brussels attacks that killed 32 people and remain a stark reminder of Belgium’s ongoing counterterrorism challenges.
Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet, a member of De Wever’s coalition government, wrote on X that terrorism “has never disappeared. It remains an enemy of our democracy that we must continue to fight.”
This is not the first time Bart De Wever has been targeted. In April, the Antwerp Court of Appeal sentenced five men, including a group leader who received a six-year prison term, for plotting to assassinate him in 2023 when he was mayor of Antwerp.
