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ISIS has sent more fighters to Europe – Belgium says

Published

8 years ago

April 19, 2016

ISIS has sent more fighters to Europe – Belgium says

Belgian authorities have informed that there are real signs that ISIS has sent more fighters to Europe in a bid to continue its terror against western countries.

Belgium security authorities say the country is maintaining its threat status at the second-highest level following information that more terrorist fighters have been sent to the country.

Alert levels was cut to three from the maximum of four just two days after the March 22 attacks which killed 32 people at the airport and on the metro in Brussels. It has remained at that level since.

Authorities say that an attack is possible and likely by maintaining level three mode.

“There are indications that Islamic State has sent fighters to Europe and Belgium, the threat level which is currently at three will not go down,” a spokesman of Belgium’s crisis centre said.

Prosecutors detained two men seen on security footage alongside the metro and airport suicide bombers on April 8, meaning all known Brussels bombings suspects linked to ISIS are dead or in custody.

Two weeks ago, a 35-year-old simply identified as Y.A. was charged by Belgium authorities with participation in a “terrorist group” over a foiled plan to attack France.

He became the third charged suspect joining others being held across Europe as authorities increase efforts to stem cross-border networks.

The main plot suspect of the Brussels airport attack Reda Kriket was also arrested too near Paris after police discovered a large number of weapons and explosives at his home.

Two others, Abderrahmane A. and Rabah M., are also being held in Belgium over the same plot.

After the Brussels airport attack, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Belgium for not taking pro-active steps over one of the two suspected Brussels airport bombers.

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