At least two dead in anti-terrorism raid in Belgian town of Verviers

At least two people have died in a counter-terrorism raid in the Belgian town of Verviers, Belgian police have confirmed.

Witnesses reported hearing three or four explosions between 5.30pm and 6pm local time this evening in the southern Belgian town near Liège.

Separately, three people have been reported as witnessing a man shouting Jihadist slogans at a metro station in Brussels.

Video: Shots fired in Verviers (unverified)

Judiciary officials confirmed only that a counter-terrorism operation had taken place near the centre of the town, in the east of the country between the city of Liège and the German border.

Public service radio RTBF said there were no casualties among the security forces involved.

Belgian authorities are due to hold a press conference at 8pm local time (7pm irish time).

There has been a heavy police presence in Brussels since last week’s Paris attacks which left 17 people dead. The attacks took place eight months after a French terrorist assassinated four people in the Jewish museum in central Brussels.

Belgium, which has long been home to a large Muslim population, is believed to have the highest proportion of citizens who have left to fight in the Middle East, after Britain. Estimates put the number of Belgian citizens who have travelled to the Syrian region – so-called ‘foreign fighters’ – at up to 400. According to Europol, Belgium was one of a number of EU countries that defused terrorist plots last year.

A high-profile terrorist trial opened in Antwerp in October, with 46 members of a radical group Sharia4Belgium accused recruiting Muslims to fight for Islamic State. Only eight of the accused were in court, with the remaining suspects were believed to be fighting in Syria.

Separately, Dutch media reported in October that Belgian police had averted a planned terrorist attack on the European Commission’s Berlaymont building in Brussels.

Source http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/live-at-least-two-dead-in-anti-terrorism-raid-in-belgian-town-of-verviers-1.2067475