No sign of Paris suspect in Belgium raids as Brussels remains under high alert

2015-11-23 4

Brussels remained under partial lockdown Monday after police carried out raids around the Belgian capital amid warnings of possible terrorist attacks similar to those that killed 130 people in Paris 10 days ago.
Sixteen people were arrested in raids Sunday across Brussels and in Charleroi, another Belgian city, said federal prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt.
But authorities found no firearms or explosives in the raids, suggesting they hadn't defused the threat that has prompted the government to raise the terrorism alert to its highest level for Brussels.
The raids also didn't uncover Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in the November 13 attacks on Paris who fled to Belgium in the aftermath and remains on the loose.
As the work week begins in Brussels, a major European capital, schools, shopping malls and the subway remain closed.