Drone assassination of belgian pm foiled

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — Belgian authorities Thursday arrested three young adults suspected of a jihadist-inspired plot to attack Prime Minister Bart De Wever and other politicians using drone-mounted explosives.

The arrests were made in the northern city of Antwerp as part of an investigation into “attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a terrorist group,” federal prosecutor Ann Fransen told a news conference.

“Certain elements indicate that the suspects intended to carry out a jihadist-inspired terrorist attack against political figures,” Fransen said.

“There are also indications that the suspects aimed to construct a drone capable of carrying a payload,” she added.

The prosecutor’s office declined to name the intended targets, but sources close to the prime minister confirmed to Agence France-Presse that De Wever was among them.

Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot called the news “deeply shocking,” voicing “gratitude to security services and the judiciary whose swift action helped prevent the worst.”