BRUSSELS – Belgian police have detained a man possibly carrying explosives near a central Brussels shopping centre early on Tuesday, triggering a meeting of the prime minister and the national crisis response centre.

The area around the City2 shopping centre, a major commercial hub in the centre of the Belgian capital, was sealed off.

“A man was arrested at 5.30 this morning, possibly in possession of explosives. The bomb disposal team of the army is verifying whether this is the case,” a spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutor said.

Belgium’s crisis centre, which coordinates security measures, said it was holding a meeting, with Prime Minister Charles Michel present, to discuss the incident.

– Reuters