A massive police dragnet at the weekend in seven Brussels neighborhoods yielded 21 arrests linked to the terror attacks in Paris, but fugitive Salah Abdeslam remains at large, police said on Monday.
The city is in lockdown on Monday with all public offices, public transport, schools and shopping centres closed, along with public events cancelled, due to what Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel called a "serious and imminent" threat.
"We fear a Paris-like attack, by more than one individual against more than one target," said Michel, who added that investigations are continuing around the clock.
The government was unwilling to take risks, despite acknowledging the "economic and professional" costs of the extreme security measures.
Two other operations took place in nearby Charleroi at the weekend, but none of the raids turned up weapons or explosives.
In Brussels, only European institutions remained open, but those were limited to the most essential meetings such as Eurogroup.
The terror alert level will be reviewed again on Tuesday afternoon, but increased police and military presence on the streets of Brussels will remain in place in the meantime.
Police say fugitive Abdeslam may be travelling with a suspected British jihadist wanted in London and alleged to be a colleague of 'Jihadi John'.
Interior Minister Jan Jambon said authorities are seeking "multiple suspects, which is why we've put such a concentration of resources in the field".
Meanwhile, Abdeslam's brother Mohammed continued to appeal on Belgian and international television for his brother to give himself up, and said his family would prefer to see him "in prison rather than in the cemetery".
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