Reports: Man who drove car in pedestrian area in Antwerp was heavily drunk

BRUSSELS, March 24 (KUNA) -- The man who drove his car at high speed through a pedestrian area in the Belgian city of Antwerp on Thursday remains behind bars, Belgian media reported Friday quoting magistrates.
The man who has not been named is now officially facing charges of "attempted murder in a terrorist context" and violating arms legislation.
The judicial authorities, however, said that it's too early to say it is an act of terrorism.
The man of North African descent was driving a car with French number plates and reportedly police found weapons in the trunk raising fears that it was case of terrorist attack.
However, the man turned out to be drunk. He may also have been under the influence of drugs. Police also discovered an empty whisky bottle in the car.
The man was so drunk that detectives had to wait a long time before they could actually question him. They had to wait the whole evening and the whole night, and finally managed to question him Friday morning.
The man had already been arrested on Wednesday in the outskirts of Antwerp after an accident in which his girlfriend sustained injuries, but was released, with the order to leave Belgium within six days.
The 39-year-old French national has a record with French police for domestic violence, drugs and arms possession, but not for terrorism, noted the reports. (end) nk.mt