Belgium Foils Jihadist Drone Bomb Plot Targeting Prime Minister As Europe Bolsters Defenses

Belgian authorities arrested three suspects in Antwerp today after uncovering a jihadist-inspired plot to assassinate Prime Minister Bart De Wever using drone-mounted explosives, according to federal prosecutors. Police discovered bomb-making materials, metal pellets for shrapnel, and a 3D printer intended to manufacture drone components during raids on four residences.

The arrests come just one day after the European Union announced a 360-degree expansion of its drone wall defense system, validating concerns about weaponized drones that European officials have been racing to address for months. The timing underscores how quickly consumer drone technology has evolved from a hobbyist tool into a weapon of choice for terrorists targeting high-profile political figures.

Bomb-Making Materials and 3D Printer Discovered in Antwerp Raids

Federal prosecutor Ann Fransen told a news conference that “certain elements indicate that the suspects intended to carry out a jihadist-inspired terrorist attack against political figures.” Fransen added that “there are also indications that the suspects aimed to construct a drone capable of carrying a payload.”

During searches of the suspects’ homes, investigators found an improvised explosive device that was not yet operational, along with a bag containing metal pellets designed to serve as deadly shrapnel. At a second location, police discovered a 3D printer believed to have been intended for manufacturing drone components needed to carry out the attack.

The three suspects, born in 2001, 2002, and 2007, were arrested on charges of attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a terrorist group. Two remain in custody and were scheduled to appear before an investigating judge Friday, while the third was released. One of the searched residences was located just a few hundred meters (roughly 330 feet) from De Wever’s private home in Antwerp.

Belgium Commits to Counter-Drone Capabilities After Close Call

Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot called the news “deeply shocking,” expressing “gratitude to security services and the judiciary whose swift action helped prevent the worst.” He emphasized that “Belgium is actively strengthening its capabilities to address new forms of terrorism, particularly through efforts to combat the malicious use of drones.”

The statement takes on added significance given Belgium’s recent experience with suspicious drone activity. A Belgian military base near the German border was overflown by an unidentified drone in recent weeks, part of a broader pattern of mysterious drone incursions affecting military installations across Denmark, Norway, Poland, and Germany throughout September and early October.

Defense Minister Theo Francken posted a message of support for De Wever on social media, thanking security services and urging: “Never surrender.”

Prime Minister De Wever Previously Targeted in 2023 Plot

This isn’t the first time Belgium’s prime minister has faced drone-related terrorist threats. Five people were convicted in April 2025 of plotting to attack De Wever while he was serving as Antwerp’s mayor, with at least one suspect known to have spread radical Islamic propaganda online. Authorities successfully foiled that plan in its early stages.

De Wever, who became Belgium’s first nationalist prime minister from the Dutch-speaking Flanders region earlier this year, remains a high-profile target for extremists. Belgium’s traumatic history with terrorism remains fresh in public memory—the country was rocked in 2016 by jihadist suicide bomb attacks at Brussels Airport and the metro system that killed 32 people and wounded hundreds.

DroneXL’s Take

We’ve been tracking the explosive growth of weaponized drone threats across multiple continents, and this Belgian plot confirms what defense analysts have been warning about for years: terrorists are rapidly adopting battlefield tactics pioneered in Ukraine and the Middle East. The use of 3D-printed components is particularly concerning—it shows sophistication beyond simply strapping explosives to a consumer quadcopter.

The timing is remarkable. Just yesterday, we reported on the EU’s expansion of its drone wall to cover all European borders, not just the eastern flank. Belgium’s Foreign Minister is now publicly committing to counter-drone capabilities after this close call. That’s the cycle we’re seeing accelerate: threat emerges, defense systems get funded, then another threat validates the investment.

What’s striking is how this Belgian plot mirrors the patterns we’ve covered in the U.S.—the FBI stopped a Nashville power grid drone bombing in November 2024 and a Michigan ISIS reconnaissance mission in May 2025. These aren’t isolated incidents anymore. They’re a playbook.

The challenge for legitimate drone operators is that every one of these terrorism cases pushes regulators toward more restrictive airspace controls. Europe is already deploying AI-powered detection systems, shoot-down authority for police, and billion-dollar counter-drone networks. Commercial pilots should expect increasingly sophisticated monitoring and stricter authorization requirements, especially near government facilities and critical infrastructure.

The 3D printer detail is the wildcard here. If terrorists can manufacture custom drone components to evade detection or carry heavier payloads, the counter-drone arms race just got exponentially harder. Traditional geofencing won’t stop a custom-built drone that doesn’t have DJI’s flight controller.

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