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Belgium's police have arrested three suspects allegedly involved in planning an attack on the country's PM, Bart de Wever.

Prosecutors described the reported plan as a extremist assault with jihadist roots targeting the PM and other politicians.

During raids conducted in the Deurne area of Antwerp, close to the premier's home, authorities discovered a potential IED and evidence that the accused were intending to employ a unmanned aerial vehicle.

While the prospective targets of the assault were not officially named by the federal prosecutors, Vice Premier Maxime Prevot stated that the prime minister was one of them.

"Reports of a premeditated assault directed toward Premier Bart de Wever is profoundly disturbing," Prevot stated in a message on social media on the day of the arrests.

"This underscores that we are facing a genuine terrorism risk and that we have to stay alert," he concluded.

The three people detained on allegations of attempted terrorist murder and participation in the functions of a terrorist group all are based in the city of Antwerp, according to the federal prosecutors. They were born in the early 2000s.

As of the evening of the arrests, one suspect was released, while two others were still being questioned and likely to appear in court on the following day.

Legal authorities stated that the individuals were detained after a magistrate directed searches of their residences in the city by law enforcement supported by explosive sniffer dogs.

In the course of these raids that they found a item which "bore strong resemblances to an improvised explosive device", legal representative Ann Fransen announced at a press conference on that day.

Investigations also uncovered a collection of ball bearings and a additive manufacturing device, with "indications that they intended to use a drone to attach a payload", she noted.

The prosecutor disclosed that there had been 80 extremist probes initiated in the nation this year - more than the overall count of cases in last year.

In April, five suspects were sentenced for a 2023 plot to attack the prime minister while he was serving as Antwerp's mayor.