BERLIN POLICE SAID they detained two men in two raids targeting suspected Islamists today, but a search did not turn up any arms or explosives.

The operation, involving special forces police, targeted an Islamic cultural centre in the western district of Charlottenburg and a building in the southern suburb of Britz.

Two men “in contact with Islamism” were detained in Britz, Berlin police spokesman Stefan Redlich said without giving details.

The men were aged 28 and 46, national news agency DPA reported.

Local media reported police had acted on a tip-off that an attack was being planned, as European police forces are on high alert following the bloody jihadist attacks in Paris on November 13.

A Germany-Netherlands football match was called off last week at the last minute over fears of an assault.

Brussels

Meanwhile, Belgium reduced the terrorism alert in Brussels from its highest possible level after Prime Minister Charles Michel said the threat of a Paris-style jihadist attack was no longer as imminent.

Tensions remained high, with emergency services evacuating the Brussels Grand Mosque and decontaminating 11 people after the discovery of a suspicious package containing white powder, amid fears it could be anthrax.

“It was just flour. Everything is negative, the cordon has been lifted,” Brussels fire brigade spokesman Pierre Meys told AFP after the powder was tested.

© AFP 2015

Read: Brussels to stay on lockdown for a week as PM says attack threat still “imminent”