European police arrest dozens of terrorism suspects

Police in France, Germany and Belgium arrested dozens of suspects in anti-terror raids today, as European authorities scramble to thwart plots by people with links to militants in the Middle East.

Police during an anti-terror raid yesterday in Verviers, eastern Belgium. Photo: EPA

French and German authorities have arrested at least 14 people suspected of having links to the Islamic State terrorist group.

Thirteen more people in Belgium and two in France have been arrested in anti-terror raids following clashes yesterday in the eastern Belgian city of Verviers. Two terror suspects were killed and a third was wounded when their hideout was raided.

Eric Van der Sypt, spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor, said the suspects had planned to kill the police officers on the street or in their offices within hours.

In more than a dozen raids on January 16, Belgian authorities found four military-style weapons, including rifles, Van der Sypt said. "I cannot confirm that we have arrested all the members of this group."

Fears are growing across Europe as the hunt continues for possible accomplices of the three Paris gunmen killed last week. Rob Wainwright, head of Europol, said foiling terrorist plots is becoming “incredibly difficult” as Europe’s estimated 2,500 to 5,000 radicalized Muslims become increasingly sophisticated, AP reported.

According to VNE