2 Belgians charged with terror offences after multiple raids

BRUSSELS – Belgian authorities charged two men with terror-related offences Wednesday following half a dozen raids that were part of an investigation prosecutors said was not linked to past extremist attacks in Paris and Brussels.

The federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement that two Belgians were charged with “taking part in the activities of a terrorist group” after the raids in Brussels early Wednesday.

The statement says one of the raids centred on a garage where police found “three Kalashnikovs, about fifteen Kalashnikov magazines, a riot gun, three small firearms with ammunition,” police uniforms and detonators.

Another major anti-terror operation was conducted on the outskirts of Lille in northern France, 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Brussels. One man was detained in the joint Belgian-French operation.

Belgium and France are both on high alert since extremist attacks have hit Paris and Brussels over the past few years.

Belgian media said the raids centred on a bikers group, the Kamikaze Riders. Two of the group’s members were sentenced on anti-terror charges last year.