Brussels crime lab attacked to ‘destroy evidence’

Brussels, Aug 29 (AFP) Attackers rammed a car through thegates of Belgium’s national crime laboratory today in Brusselsand then started a fire in what officials said may have beenan attempt to destroy evidence. Five people were arrested nearby but later released, whileprosecutors said there was no confirmed link to terrorism sofar. No one was injured in the fire or by a large explosionwhich shook houses nearby. The incident comes as Belgium remains on high alertfollowing suicide attacks on the capital’s airport and metrosystem in March which were claimed by the Islamic State group. "This location was not chosen randomly," said Ine VanWymersch, a spokesman for the Brussels prosecutor’s office,adding that the institute deals with "sensitive information inconnection with several ongoing cases." Prosecutors had opened a investigation into "deliberatearson of a building and damage by explosion", while bombdisposal experts attended the scene. "The possibility of a terrorist act is not confirmed. Itgoes without saying that several individuals may have wantedto destroy evidence related to their legal cases," VanWymersch added. She said that "several attackers forced their way into theinstitute using their car and were able to attack thebuilding" and had apparently deliberately targeted the wingwhere the laboratories are located. The incident happened in the early hours today at thenational criminology institute in Neder-Over-Hembeek, anorthern suburb of Brussels, and near the famed Atomiumtourist attraction. Part of the building was scorched and burned out, an AFPreporter saw, while a burned out car was lifted from the sceneby a crane. Fire service spokesman Pierre Meys said there was an"extremely powerful" explosion, adding: "Windows of the labwere blown out dozens of metres away." He said about 30 firefighters were at the scene at around3:00am (0100 GMT) fighting the blaze. A young woman living in the neighbourhood said theexplosion woke her up. "It made the house shake," she toldAFP, asking not to be named. The institute is part of Belgium’s federal justice system.Among its tasks is carrying out forensic analysis for criminalcases. Belgium has been on high alert after suicide bombersstruck Brussels airport and a metro station near the EuropeanUnion headquarters on March 22, killing 32 people. Those attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group,which controls large areas of territory in Iraq and Syria andhas claimed numerous terror attacks in Europe in recentmonths. (AFP)ABH