Three Suspected Jihadists Arrested in Belgium Probe

Belgian police arrested three men Wednesday on suspicion of membership of a terrorist organisation as part of a probe into jihadist fighters travelling to Syria, prosecutors said.

The arrests come after six raids in the towns of Vilvoorde and Machelen, near Brussels, as part of a probe launched in 2013, the Brussels federal prosecutor's office said.

Police also seized suspicious materials, it said in a statement. All of the suspects, who are in their twenties, were remanded in custody.

Belgian authorities issued an arrest warrant for a fourth suspect believed to be in Syria.

Belgium has produced the highest number of so-called foreign fighters per capita of any EU member state, an estimated 325, according to officials.

Vilvoorde mayor Hans Bonte told AFP recently that community leaders must act fast to prevent jihadist recruiters from preying on vulnerable young people.