Belgium Frees Terror Suspects

Today Belgian police released 14 men accused of plotting to break free an al-Qaeda suicide bomber, the AP reports. A court ruled there was not enough evidence to justify holding them more than 24 hours—the standard time to present evidence on a suspect in Belgium. "The police get the same time to question a terrorist as they would a shoplifter," one expert said. "It's a judicial fiasco."

Prosecutors vowed to continue the probe and said that security measures enacted nationwide after the arrests would continue. "According to our investigation there were sufficient indications pointing to a terrorist threat," a federal spokeswoman said. "That is why we did not wait to detain the suspects." (More Belgium stories.)