Dutch arrest 16-year-old for planning terror attack in Belgium

Police in Eindhoven have arrested a 16-year-old who is suspected of having contact with terrorist organisation IS and of preparing an attack in Belgium.

The public prosecutor’s office confirmed the arrest, which took place at the beginning of May. The teenager, named only as M, is still in custody.

Another man, aged 19 and from Deventer, was arrested earlier this week in connection with the alleged attack. He was said to be in contact with the teen via Telegram, the Eindhovens Dagblad reported. He will appear in court on Friday.

The investigation also includes a Belgian national with whom the two allegedly discussed the plot.

A spokesman for the public prosecution department said the conversations were of a “serious nature” and that M is being held on “suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack.”

No physical contact between the 16-year-old and the other men had taken place and he had not bought any terrorist-related material, the spokesman said.

The arrest coincided with a large-scale operation carried out by Belgian police in which seven terrorist suspects were arrested, most with a Chechen background. M is thought to have been in contact with one of these men.