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Belgian law enforcement have detained three individuals allegedly involved in conspiring to carry out an attack on the government's premier, Bart de Wever.

Federal prosecutors characterized the reported scheme as a "jihadist-inspired terrorist attack" targeting the prime minister and other elected representatives.

During searches conducted in Deurne, Antwerp, near the PM's home, investigators found a potential IED and indications that the accused were planning to employ a drone.

While the planned victims of the attack were not disclosed by name by the federal prosecutors, Vice Premier Maxime Prevot revealed that de Wever was among them.

"Reports of a intended strike targeting Prime Minister Bart de Wever is profoundly disturbing," Prevot declared in a message on X on Thursday.

"It emphasizes that we are dealing with a genuine terrorism risk and that we have to keep watchful," he added.

The three people detained on suspicion of attempted terrorist murder and involvement in the activities of a terrorist group all are based in Antwerp, as stated by the prosecutor's office. They were had birth years in three different years between 2001 and 2007.

As of the evening of the arrests, one person was released, while the remaining two were still being questioned and expected to face a judge on the following day.

Legal authorities said that the accused were detained after a judge authorized searches of their homes in the location by police officers backed by bomb detection canines.

Throughout these investigations that they discovered a item which "bore strong resemblances to an improvised explosive device", lead prosecutor Ann Fransen stated at a press conference on Thursday.

Raids also revealed a "bag of steel balls" and a 3D printer, with "indications that they intended to use a drone to attach a payload", she added.

The official stated that there had been eighty counter-terrorism cases initiated in the nation so far this year - surpassing the total number of cases in the previous year.

In April, five individuals were sentenced for a 2023 plot to attack De Wever while he was serving as the city's chief executive.