Dutch far-right leader Geert
Wilders says he’s “going nowhere” amid reports of a suspected Belgium plot to
target politicians with an explosive drone.
After police used explosives sniffer dogs to examine the homes of three men in the port city of Antwerp on Thursday, they were brought into jail. According to prosecutors, a handmade bomb was discovered at one residence, but it wasn't working at the time.
A 3D printer thought to be used to create components for the intended attack was discovered at another home, and a bag of steel balls was also discovered there. It seemed "that the intention was to build a drone to attach a load," according to the prosecution.
"Attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a terrorist group"
was the subject of the police raids, according to the prosecution. The politicians who might have been targeted were not named.
However, Prime Minister Bart De Wever was one of the targets named by Belgian cabinet ministers. Wilders shared a Belgian news article on X stating that he and Els van Doesburg, De Wever's successor as mayor of Antwerp, were also on the hit list. All three politicians lean right.
According to Wilders, an inquiry is being conducted to determine the veracity of the reports, and
"until I know that, I'm going nowhere."
Before the Netherlands' early general election on October 29, he canceled his presence in an election discussion with other political leaders on Friday.
Some of the reports were attributed to the Flemish broadcaster VTM, which did not specify how it came to know of the list. He didn't go into detail.
Although he hasn't discussed the subject in public, De Wever approved of television cameras during a government ministers' meeting on Friday.
Later on, one of the suspects was freed. The two others were scheduled to appear before a judge, maybe to face formal charges.
Wilders, who has been under constant protection, has been the target of extremists for years. Prior to the election, which was called after he left the ruling four-party coalition over a disagreement over a crackdown on migration, his Party for Freedom is topping surveys.
The suspects' goal, according to Belgian prosecutors on Thursday, "was to carry out a jihadi-inspired terrorist attack targeting politicians." They didn't explain how they came to those conclusions.
What investigations are underway into the suspected Belgian plot?
Belgian federal prosecutors
arrested three young adults in Antwerp after conducting raids, with the
assistance of dogs trained to find explosives, following the discovery of a
makeshift IED that was, as of yet, inactive.
The authorities discovered evidence that the three young adults were seeking materials to construct a drone, which would carry and deliver an explosive to attack political entities.
The investigation is now focusing on the full nature of the conspiracy, the number of intended targets, and the group of suspects who may have intended to see jihadist-inspired terrorist activity.
According to sources, among the targets was Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, but the prosecutors have not officially confirmed all of the individuals who were targeted.