1ST LEAD Belgium keeps five in custody over New Year's terrorist plot By Helen Maguire, dpa

Brussels (dpa) - Belgian investigators are keeping five people in custody in relation to an alleged terrorist plot targeting key sites in Brussels during New Year‘s celebrations, prosecutors said Thursday.Belgium has been on high alert since the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, as many of the perpetrators had links to the country. The end-of-year terrorist plot is being treated as a separate menace, however.Investigators searched seven premises early on Thursday in Brussels‘ Molenbeek neighbourhood and in the suburbs of Anderlecht and Laeken, as well as in the Flemish municipality of Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, bordering the capital.Six people were taken in for questioning, three of whom are being detained for a further 24 hours, the prosecution said in a statement.Investigators seized telephones, computing paraphernalia and items used for airsoft, a combat simulation activity involving replica firearms. The items were undergoing analysis, prosecutors said.Two other people were placed under arrest this week in relation to the New Year‘s plot uncovered during raids on Sunday and Monday.Thirty-year-old Said S and Mohammed K, aged 27, who are both Belgian citizens, will remain in custody for a month, prosecutors announced Thursday.Said S is charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group as a leader; recruiting with a view to commit terrorist acts as a perpetrator or accomplice; and being implicated in the threat of an attack.Mohammed K is charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group as a perpetrator or accomplice and being implicated in the threat of an attack. His lawyer has denied the charges, according to the Belga news agency.Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur decided to cancel the city‘s New Year‘s Eve fireworks display due to the terrorist threat.