14-Year-Old Arrested over plans to attack Mosque
A 14-year-old boy has been reportedly arrested on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack on a mosque in Brussels.
According to further reports, Belgian officials revealed on Thursday and it was disclosed that the teenager, believed to hold far-right views, was detained after authorities received a tip-off and carried out a dawn raid at his home.
Weapons were reportedly seized during the operation.
Prosecutors stated that the suspect was preparing to carry out the attack on Friday and will now be placed in a youth detention facility.
The justice minister, Paul Van Tigchelt, confirmed the boy’s age while addressing concerns about the growing radicalisation of minors in Belgium.
According to Belgium’s national intelligence service, nearly one-third of those accused of planning attacks in the past two years were under 18.
The justice minister warned that radicalisation among youth is accelerating, with social media often playing a major role in influencing these individuals.
Currently, about 600 people in Belgium are under surveillance for extremist activities, with most linked to jihadist beliefs.
However, authorities noted that around 60 individuals were being monitored for far-right ideologies in 2022.
