Belgians Arrest Suspect in Plot Against U.S. Embassy

A suspected Islamic militant had been planning attacks on the U.S. Embassy and other American interests in France before he was detained in Belgium, a radio station reported Saturday. Richard Lankford, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Paris, said officials were aware of the report on Europe-1 radio but declined further comment. The suspect, about 30 years old and of North African origin, was one of eight people detained in Belgium and the Netherlands in recent days during a joint operation against a suspected radical Islamic group, the French station said.

Police searched the man`s home and found an automatic rifle and several documents, according to Europe-1, which did not cite sources.

A judicial official in Paris said she was not aware of links between the man taken in for questioning in Belgium and planned attacks in France. The prosecutor`s office in Brussels did not answer the phone on Saturday.

Belgian authorities said Friday that they were investigating possible links between Osama bin Laden – the prime suspect in Tuesday`s terror attacks in the United States – and one of the people taken in for questioning.

But authorities have said there was no evidence of a direct link between those detained in Europe and the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

French anti-terrorism judges opened an investigation earlier this week into possible threats to American interests in France.

Citing police sources, Le Figaro newspaper reported Saturday that the investigation centered on a plot to attack the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Police believe that bin Laden`s networks were behind the plan, which was in the "advanced stages," according to Le Figaro.

Spokesmen at the Paris police headquarters were unavailable for comment Saturday.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 - ABC, Action News