Belgian prosecutors say three men have been charged with terrorist offenses linked to Tuesday's attacks on the Brussels airport and subway.

Federal prosecutors said Saturday they have charged a man identified as Faycal C. for "involvement in a terrorist group, terrorist murder and attempted terrorist murder." They say he was arrested on Thursday but a police raid on his home turned up no weapons or explosives.

Belgian media are reporting that a man named Faycal Cheffou has been identified has the suspected fugitive in a light-colored jacket who fled Brussels Airport after two alleged accomplices blew themselves up there Tuesday. Prosecutors refused to comment on those reports.

Prosecutors say two other suspects arrested Thursday and identified as Rabah N. and Aboubakar A. have been charged with "involvement in the activities of a terrorist group." A fourth man, taken into custody Friday after he was shot by police at a Brussels tram stop, is being held for at least 24 hours longer.

Suspect shot

Earlier today, Belgian police shot and captured a terror suspect in a major daylight operation at a tram stop, as part of a European crackdown that has netted several arrests in the wake of the Brussels attacks.

The raids came as investigators said they had uncovered new evidence of a European jihadist cell tied to the Brussels attacks, November's Paris attacks and a new French plot.

In dramatic scenes, a man suspected of being involved in the new plot was shot in the leg at a tram stop in the Schaerbeek district, where police this week found a bomb factory linked to the Brussels attacks, which killed 31 people and injured hundreds of others.

Heavily armed police and military with trucks cordoned off an area around a major intersection and three blasts were heard, which the district's mayor Bernard Clerfayt said were controlled explosions.

"I can confirm a police operation targeting a person who was intercepted by police and suffered a slight leg injury," Mr Clerfayt said.

Witnesses told local media police had shot a man in the leg at a tram stop after he failed to respond to their orders.

"I heard two explosions, they were shooting. I opened the window and saw a man lying near the tram stop," a witness who lives nearby told La Libre newspaper.

"The police ordered him to show his hands, remove his jacket. They said that if he did not comply, they would use their weapons."

Video from the scene showed the man lying on his side, shattered glass from the tram shelter smashed by bullets at his feet.

A bomb squad robot approached the wounded man, checking for explosives. He was taken in for questioning.

Demo cancelled

In the meantime, Belgium's interior minister has appealed to residents not to rally in solidarity for the victims of Tuesday's attacks on the airport and subway, saying police are too stretched with the investigation into the attacks.

Interior Minister Jan Jambon made the appeal on Saturday. He did not demand that the rally Sunday be cancelled, although he "invited citizens not to have this demonstration."

He says "we understand fully the emotions. We understand that everyone wants to express these feelings."

The march was to take place from the Place de la Bourse in Brussels to the city's Gare du Nord.