Brussels’ traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks display has been called off over fears terrorists could be planning an outrage.
Prosecutors in the Belgian capital announced on Tuesday that two people had been arrested on suspicion of plotting a bomb attack during the festivities.
“Together with the interior minister, we’ve decided to not have the celebrations on Thursday evening,” Brussels mayor Yvan Mayeur told the state broadcaster RTBF.
The two men, who have not been named, were expected to appear in court on Thursday morning following their arrests on Sunday and Monday.
Police found military clothing and Isis propaganda material at their homes but no weapons or explosives.
“Our investigation revealed serious threats of an attack on symbolic places in Brussels during the celebrations for New Year’s Eve,” the prosecutors said in a statement.
Investigations into last month’s Paris massacres have focused on Belgium, where two of the suicide bombers lived.
Belgian police have so far arrested nine people in connection with the Paris attacks, but prosecutors have said the suspected New Year’s Eve plotters are unconnected to the atrocity that claimed 130 lives.
On Wednesday, a source close to the French investigation confirmed at least one man was suspected of having coordinated the attacks by mobile phone from Belgium as they were being carried out.
Brussels cancelled its New Year fireworks in 2007 after a plan to free Tunisian terror convict Nizar Trabelsi was foiled.
