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Belgium police isolate suspicious man in central Brussels

Wednesday, 20 July 2016 5:46 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 20 July 2016 5:46 PM ]

An armed soldier stands behind a cordon in central Brussels on July 20, 2016, during a police intervention to isolate a suspect. (AFP photo)

Police in Belgium Wednesday isolated a suspicious man in a heavy coat with wires hanging out in the center of Brussels over fears that the individual might pose a danger.

The police have also cordoned off part of the center of Brussels where a bomb disposal unit is present.

"Following police intervention, a cordon has been established" around part of the Place de la Monnaie and neighboring streets, the police said in a message posted on Twitter.

Police backed by bomb disposal teams cordoned off part of central Brussels where they surrounded the suspect individual, who aroused suspicion because he had on a long winter jacket on a hot day, and who later transpired to be a radiation student, AFP reported.

"He was studying waves and radiation. He has just been detained and police will begin questioning him now," Brussels police spokeswoman, Ilse Van de Keere, told AFP.

The Belga news agency added that the "equipment" he was carrying was harmless, but did not provide further details.

The incident comes as Belgium prepares to mark its national day on Thursday amid heightened security measures in the wake of a deadly attack in Nice, France.

Over 80 people lost their lives and more than 200 others sustained injuries when a truck rammed into a crowd of people celebrating the French National Day, commonly known as Bastille Day, in the southern city July 14.

Brussels has already been on high alert since March 22, when 32 people were killed in bombings in the Brussels airport and the underground train station.

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