photograph : julien warnand epa all three verviers gunmen were belgian federal prosecutor eric van der sypt speaks to the press in brussels .
counter - terror officers kill two and arrest 15 suspected jihadis in belgium and france with europe on high alert for further attacks a major islamist plot to kill police officers in the street has been foiled at the eleventh hour , prosecutors have said , after counter - terror raids led to the arrest of 15 suspected jihadis in belgium and france .
eric van der sypt , a belgian federal magistrate , said 13 suspected terrorists were arrested in belgium overnight with a further two detained in france .
as many as 20 sleeper cells in europe , " said western intelligence source told cnn . "
in the same series of raids , two suspected terrorists were shot dead by police and another wounded in the belgian town of verviers , near the german border .
nine of the suspects were held in raids in molenbeek , two in brussels , one in berchem , one in verviers , where the shootout took place , and two in france .
search teams also discovered several ( cnn ) european countries to avert an imminent terrorist attack aimed at police officers and buildings in belgium .
they were monitoring groups of men who have returned from fighting in syria and iraq , according to the official .
at the address in verviers , police found ammunition and weapons including four kalashnikovs , several smaller firearms and explosives .