Far right Belgian soldier who hoarded weapons still at large

Hundreds of specialized forces are still hunting for a heavily armed Belgian soldier who is on a federal anti-terror watch list and was seen early this week near the home of a person he had threatened

BRUSSELS -- Hundreds of specialized forces kept hunting Friday for a heavily armed Belgian soldier who is on a federal anti-terror watch list and was seen early this week near the home of a person he had threatened. Jurgen Conings, 46, an expert marksman known for his extreme-right sympathies, was still thought to be hiding in a vast nature park in northeastern Belgium that over 400 soldiers and police officials have combed for three straight days. Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne said the man disappeared Monday and hung around the residence of one of several people he threatened before boobytrapping his own car with ammunition and four anti-tank missile launchers inside. Van Quickenborne refused to confirm that Conings' target on Monday was virologist Marc Van Ranst, a key scientific advisor on Belgium's COVID-19 program.