Belgian police arrest Frenchmen trying to drive into Antwerp crowd

Belgian police arrested Frenchman on Thursday after he tried to drive into a crowd at high-speed in a shopping area in Antwerp at around 11am, local police said.

The arrest comes less than 24 hours after a man killed two people in the London's Westminster parliamentary district by driving his car on to the footpath before getting out and stabbing a policeman to death. The attacker was shot dead.

The suspect, a Frenchman of north African origin, was taken away, Antwerp police chief Serge Muyters said. Prosecutors said Belgian security forces found a rifle as well as bladed weapons in the car.

"Different arms were found in the boot -- bladed weapons, a riot gun (rifle) and a container of liquid that is still unidentified," the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement.

"The suspect is Mohamed R., born on May 8, 1977, of French nationality and a resident of France," the statement added.

Muyters said the car was spotted at around 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT).

"The vehicle was driving at high speed on De Meir. Our army colleagues spotted it and tried to bring the vehicle to a halt," he said.

"But the driver broke free and drove through the red light towards the port quays."

He said the police were contacted and immediately sent a rapid response team, intercepting the vehicle and driver.

He added the driver was later arrested and additional police and military personnel had been deployed to the centre of Antwerp, but did not give any further details.

Belgium has been on high alert since March 22 last year when suicide bombers attacked Brussel's Zaventem airport and Maalbeek metro station that left 32 people dead and more than 320 wounded.