UPDATE | Belgium police kill 2 in anti-terror raid during shootout

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian authorities say two people have been killed and one has been arrested during a shootout in an anti-terrorist operation in the eastern city of Verviers.

Magistrate Eric Van der Sypt told reporters today in Brussels that the suspects were on the verge of committing a major terrorist attack, and that they immediately opened fire on security forces.

He said at an emergency news conference that anti-terrorist raids are under way in the Brussels region and Verviers. He said Belgium's terror alert level was raised to its second-highest level.

The raid was part of an investigation into extremists returning from Syria.