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Four Suspected Jihadists Arrested by Greek Police Over Belgian Terror Plot

© REUTERS / StringerBelgian special forces police block a street in central Verviers, a town between Liege and the German border, in the east of Belgium
Belgian special forces police block a street in central Verviers, a town between Liege and the German border, in the east of Belgium - Sputnik International
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Greek police have arrested a number of people for supposed links to a terror plot in Belgium which left two suspects dead on Thursday.

MOSCOW, January 18 (Sputnik) – Greek police have arrested several people who are suspected of having links to the terror plot in Belgium, reports BBC.

One of the men was apparently in contact with the cell in Verviers, Belgium, where a shootout with police left two suspects dead on Thursday.

Policemen patrol the Jewish quarter in Antwerp, on January 16, 2015 - Sputnik International
Belgium Deploys Troops Alongside Police Amid Increased Terrorist Threat
However, on Saturday, Belgian authorities said that two of those arrested in Athens were not among those wanted over events in Belgium, reports BBC.

According to the prosecutors the group had planned to kill police officers and they charged five people on Friday with "participating in the activities of a terrorist group".

Earlier on Saturday, Belgian media said authorities were looking for Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a 27-year-old Brussels resident of Moroccan origin suspected of being the instigator of the jihadi cell, and in hiding in Greece.

Greek authorities were said to have sent DNA samples to Belgian associates for further investigation. However, a spokesman for Belgium's federal prosecutor told Le Soir newspaper that two of the suspects being held in Greece were not among those suspected of being involved in the Belgian terror plot.

Anti-Terrorist Operation in Belgium - Sputnik International
Anti-Terrorist Operation in Belgium
The spokesman refused to comment on whether Abdelhamid Abaaoud was among those held in Athens.

Belgian defense officials said the nation's security threat level would remain high at level three, which is the second highest level, for at least week. There is a significant alarm about the return of young Europeans who have gone to fight in Iraq and Syria.

According to BBC, Belgium reported that up to 350 of its citizens have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq, the highest number per capita in Europe. About 100 have returned, and are being monitored by intelligence services.

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