Belgian authorities have arrested eight people after house searches on suspicion of planning an Islamist terrorist attack in BelgiumThis was reported by the federal prosecutor’s office.

The report says that the purpose of a possible attack is not specified. There is no comment as to how far the preparations for the attack have progressed.

Police on Monday searched five addresses in Brussels, Antwerp and Eupen, a city close to the German border. Five men were arrested and at least two of them are believed to have planned the attack.

As part of a separate investigation, police arrested three more people at homes in and around Brussels, also on suspicion of plotting the attack. “There is a connection” between the two cases, but “further investigations are needed to determine the extent to which the two groups are connected,” prosecutors said.

The eight will face a judge who will decide whether they will be prosecuted and taken into custody.

Belgium was home to some of the perpetrators of the 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. Brussels was also the target of bomb attacks (airport and metro) in March 2016 that killed 32 people.

Source: APE-MPE-Reuters