Three Dutch Turks from The Hague who are on trial for terrorism offences in Belgium should be jailed for five years, the Belgian prosecution department said on Tuesday.

The three are accused of forming a terrorist organisation and planning to take part in armed jihad in Syria, broadcaster Nos reports. Main suspect Adil U is in custody in Belgium. The other two are thought to be in Syria and are being tried in absentia.

Police found guns and two bullet-proof vests in a raid on the Brussels home of U in 2014. He was arrested at Zaventum airport returning from Turkey in September. Jihadist books and films, plus an IS flag were found by Dutch police officers when they searched his rental apartment in The Hague.

European Commission

The Belgian authorities say U and the two other men used the Brussels apartment to train to take part in jihad. They are also said to have been in touch with members of Sharia4Belgium, which has since been abolished.

U’s wife Zeyneb K is also on trial and faces 12 months in jail for money laundering, Nos says.

When the couple were first arrested, there were reports they had been planning an attack on the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. However, no evidence was found to support this claim, ANP says.