Four Arrested over Alleged Plot to Kidnap Belgian Justice Minister

Police in the Netherlands have arrested four suspects over what Belgium’s justice minister described as a plan to kidnap him.

Vincent Van Quickenborne, who is also the mayor of the city of Kortrijk in western Flanders, appeared to blame a “drug mafia” in a video message run by state broadcaster RTBF.

Addressing an audience at a local ball, he said that in a phone call on Thursday, a federal prosecutor had warned him of a kidnap plan targeting him.

On Saturday Van Quickenborne said: “I will be placed under strict security for the time being and will not be able to participate in some planned activities in the coming days. It’s not pleasant, but understandable.