Belgian authorities arrested seven people on Wednesday, Oct 10, suspected of recruiting young Muslims in Brussels to join Islamic militants fighting in Africa, federal prosecutors said, according to Reuters.

The investigation was triggered when a Belgian national was detained at the Somali border in August 2011 and found to be wanting to join Somalia's al Shabaab militants.

The arrests of six people of Moroccan and African origin and one Belgian national followed house searches in several parts of Brussels, the prosecutors said.