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Belgium's law enforcement have taken into custody three people suspected of plotting an strike on the government's premier, Bart de Wever.

Federal prosecutors labeled the reported plot as a "jihadist-inspired terrorist attack" targeting the prime minister and fellow politicians.

During raids conducted in the Deurne area of Antwerp, close to the prime minister's private residence, investigators uncovered a suspected IED and indications that the suspects were intending to use a drone.

While the planned victims of the attack were not disclosed by name by the legal authorities, Vice Premier Maxime Prevot revealed that the prime minister was included in the targets.

"Reports of a intended attack targeting Premier Bart de Wever is extremely shocking," the deputy prime minister declared in a post on social media on Thursday.

"It emphasizes that we are facing a genuine terrorism risk and that we have to remain vigilant," he concluded.

The three people taken into custody on charges of attempted terrorist murder and involvement in the operations of a extremist organization all reside in the Antwerp region, according to the federal prosecutors. They were with years of birth in three different years between 2001 and 2007.

By the evening of the arrests, one suspect was freed, while the other suspects were under interrogation and scheduled to appear in court on the next day.

The prosecution revealed that the accused were taken into custody after a court official authorized inspections of their homes in the location by officials assisted by explosive sniffer dogs.

In the course of these searches that they found a object which closely resembled a homemade bomb, federal prosecutor Ann Fransen said at a media briefing on Thursday.

Investigations also found a "bag of steel balls" and a 3D printer, with "indications that they intended to use a drone to attach a payload", she continued.

Fransen disclosed that there had been 80 terrorism investigations opened in the country this year - exceeding the overall count of cases in last year.

During the spring, five individuals were sentenced for a previous year's plan to attack Belgium's leader while he was serving as the city's chief executive.