Belgium raises terror alert to highest level in Brussels

Belgium raised its terror alert to the highest level in the capital Brussels on Saturday, with the OCAM national crisis centre warning of an "imminent threat" a week after the Paris attacks, according to Agence France-Presse.

"Following our latest evaluation… the centre has raised its terror alert to level 4, signifying a very serious threat, for the Brussels region," it said, as Europe tightens security after Islamic State militants killed 130 people in the French capital, the AFP news agency has reported.

"The analysis shows a serious and imminent threat requiring specific security measures as well as detailed recommendations to the population," said OCAM, which is part of the Belgian interior ministry, in a statement.

The centre urged citizens to avoid crowded areas such as concerts and transport hubs in Belgium's capital, which is also home to the European Union and NATO headquarters.

The officials declined to add further details until later on Saturday "in order to allow ongoing judicial investigations to follow their course," the statement said.