Five people belonging to “jihadists” groups were taken into custody on Monday evening in Belgium after police raids that targeted "radicalizing youth".

The majority of those detained are in their 20s, according to a statement released by the federal prosecutor's office.

In a statement on Tuesday morning, it was reported that 8 people were detained and one of them was later released.

It is reported that the detentions took place as part of two investigations based in Brussels and Antwerp. Both investigations were linked and carried out on suspicion of a "possible terrorist attack".

The potential targets of “attack plans” have not been identified so far.

Detention warrants have been issued for four people in Antwerp. These included Belgian citizen Elias E.A.,born in 2003, Sebastian B., a Belgian citizen born in 2003, Harun C., born in Turkey in 1987, and Vanessa B., a Belgian citizen born in 1999. The prosecutors revealed that four people had been charged with taking part in the activities of a terrorist group, preparing for a terrorist offense, attempted assassination and spreading a message to incite the commission of a terrorist offense.

A further three people were arrested as part of another case in Brussels. These included Belgian citizen Adam D., born in 2004, Belgian citizen Karim H., born in 2000, and Bulgarian citizen Sergey R., born in 2003. The prosecutors said that Sergey R. and Karim H. were only accused of "participating in the activities of a terrorist organization". Adam D. is accused of “preparing for a terrorist offense” and “spreading a message to incite the commission of a terrorist offense”.