Three young Belgians who were arrested in Tourcoing (northern France) at the end of August have been charged with membership of a criminal organisation with a view to preparing one or more offences, including murder as part of an organised gang.
They were arrested and remanded in custody following a shooting at the front of a house in Tourcoing with a high-calibre weapon on the night of 30 to 31 August. There were no casualties in the incident.
"A machine gun, a loaded AK-47-type weapon of war, was found in their car," said the public prosecutor for Lille, Samuel Finielz. "The three individuals were born in 2007, so have only just come of age, and are Brussels residents."
Additionally, one of the suspects has been charged with complicity in attempted murder as part of an organised group and with carrying and transporting a Category A weapon outside his home, Finielz added.
