Home-made explosives found on the day the Tour de France was launched in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-building-in-brussels-evacuated-over-bomb-threat-204327">Brussels</a> belonged to an "unstable" former Russian soldier who died in 2011, prosecutors said Thursday.

A worker found a stash of weapons Saturday in the step of a stairway of a building near where cyclists raced.

"The bag containing explosives, knives, and brass knuckles belonged to a man, G.A., a former Russian soldier who was born in 1965 and died in 2011," the Brussels prosecutor's office said.

It said the stash was found in the first step of the stairway leading to the landing where the Russian's apartment was located in the Anderlecht neighborhood.

The building's owner told investigators that the Russian was known to possess knives in the 2000s and was "mentally unstable and inclined to paranoia," the prosecutors said.

Fingerprints of the man, who was only identified by his initials, were also found on the cellophane tape covering one of the knives, they added.

The prosecutor's office said it intended to close the case given that the man died in 2011.&nbsp;

It added there was no link to the "festive events" at the weekend or to the country's terrorism cases. &nbsp;

Belgium has been hit by several Islamist extremist attacks, the worst being suicide bombings on March 22, 2016, at Brussels airport and a city metro station that killed 32 people and wounded hundreds of others.

Security was high for the Tour de France, an epic three-week cycling competition around France, which was launched from the cobbled streets of Brussels on Saturday.

Home-made explosives found on the day the Tour de France was launched in Brussels belonged to an "unstable" former Russian soldier who died in 2011, prosecutors said Thursday.

Home-made explosives found on the day the Tour de France was launched in Brussels belonged to an "unstable" former Russian soldier who died in 2011, prosecutors said Thursday. A worker found a stash of weapons Saturday in the step of a stairway of a building near where cyclists raced. "The bag containing explosives, knives, and brass knuckles belonged to a man, G.A., a former Russian soldier who was born in 1965 and died in 2011," the Brussels prosecutor's office said. It said the stash was found in the first step of the stairway leading to the landing where the Russian's apartment was located in the Anderlecht neighborhood. The building's owner told investigators that the Russian was known to possess knives in the 2000s and was "mentally unstable and inclined to paranoia," the prosecutors said. Fingerprints of the man, who was only identified by his initials, were also found on the cellophane tape covering one of the knives, they added. The prosecutor's office said it intended to close the case given that the man died in 2011. It added there was no link to the "festive events" at the weekend or to the country's terrorism cases. Belgium has been hit by several Islamist extremist attacks, the worst being suicide bombings on March 22, 2016, at Brussels airport and a city metro station that killed 32 people and wounded hundreds of others. Security was high for the Tour de France, an epic three-week cycling competition around France, which was launched from the cobbled streets of Brussels on Saturday.

Explosives found in Brussels belonged to ex-Russian soldier: Official

Belgian soccer club Anderlecht have dismissed coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck after a series of poor results that led to their exit from the Europa League and drop to fourth in the domestic first division.

Anderlecht finished bottom of their Europa League group after three draws and three defeats and lost 2-1 to Cercle Bruges on Sunday to leave them 11 points beyond league leaders Genk. Their previous three league matches had been a draw and two losses.

"The team does not have enough points in the Belgian championship and we have been eliminated from the Belgian Cup and the Europa League. We need to stop this trend soon," Anderlecht sporting director Michael Verschueren said in a statement late on Sunday.

"We want to thank Hein Vanhaezebrouck for his hard work for the club."

Vanhaezebrouck steered Ghent to their first ever league title in 2015 and helped them become only the second Belgian side to advance beyond the group stage of the Champions League.

He joined Brussels-based Anderlecht at the start of last season, ending third in the league.

Belgian soccer club Anderlecht have dismissed coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck after a series of poor results that led to their exit from the Europa League and drop to fourth in the domestic first division.

Belgian soccer club Anderlecht have dismissed coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck after a series of poor results that led to their exit from the Europa League and drop to fourth in the domestic first division. Anderlecht finished bottom of their Europa League group after three draws and three defeats and lost 2-1 to Cercle Bruges on Sunday to leave them 11 points beyond league leaders Genk. Their previous three league matches had been a draw and two losses. "The team does not have enough points in the Belgian championship and we have been eliminated from the Belgian Cup and the Europa League. We need to stop this trend soon," Anderlecht sporting director Michael Verschueren said in a statement late on Sunday. "We want to thank Hein Vanhaezebrouck for his hard work for the club." Vanhaezebrouck steered Ghent to their first ever league title in 2015 and helped them become only the second Belgian side to advance beyond the group stage of the Champions League. He joined Brussels-based Anderlecht at the start of last season, ending third in the league.

Anderlecht fire coach Vanhaezebrouck after poor run of results

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