A total of 16 people were arrested in an alleged anti-terrorism raid Monday as part of two investigations into suspected extremist Chechen groups, according to local Belgian media.
Belgian public broadcaster RTBF said that the arrests were made after Belgian authorities monitored the suspects’ communication on Whatsapp with help from American authorities.
The first investigation into the suspected extremist Chechen groups opened in January, which looked into alleged preparations for a terrorist attack in Belgium.
The second investigation opened in February based on police information regarding a suspect who had allegedly returned to Belgium after fighting in Syria, according to Belgian prosecutors.
Officials say around 5,000 Europeans have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight with extremist groups such as Daesh.
Just under 300 people left Belgium in the two years up to December, 2014, to fight in Syria, according to the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence.
