Man arrested in Brussels after security alert about suspicious package

Belgian authorities took a man into custody following a pre-dawn security alert at a major shopping center in downtown Brussels early Tuesday.

The security operation followed an alert about a suspicious package.

Brussels prosecutors confirmed that a man had been taken into custody, but that no explosives were found at the City 2 shopping center.

“He is being questioned at the moment,” said Ine Van Wymersch, spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutors’ office. “There were no explosives.”

Amid the alert, Prime Minister Charles Michel changed his morning program and a meeting of the Belgian crisis center was called.

Police in hoods and military wearing helmets were seen patrolling around at least one major entry to the City 2 shopping center. Police cars were on the scene and the anti-mine squad was also called in. Some entries to the subway station were also blocked.

City 2 spokeswoman Veronique Pirson said police said “a package had been found right next to City 2.”

Belgium has been living under a threat level indicating a likely attack since the November attacks in Paris, some of whose perpetrators were either Belgian nationals or had lived in Brussels. On March 22, attacks on the Brussels subway and airport killed 32.