Belgium's justice minister has ordered an inquiry into the discovery of a key for handcuffs found near the prison cell of Marc Dutroux, who is standing trial for kidnap, rape and murder.
Justice Minister Laurette Onkelinx said she wanted to know if the key was part of a plan to help Dutroux escape from prison. Dutroux has a history of fleeing custody, briefly escaping during a courthouse visit since his arrest in 1996.
Ms Onkelinx told parliament the key was found in a bag of salt in a locked cupboard near Dutroux's cell during a routine check by prison guards on Tuesday.
"The model of the key is a model which is no longer in service at the prison and it shows signs of corrosion. I of course do not exclude that the key could open cuffs of a newer model," Ms Onkelinx said.
Dutroux like other prisoners is allowed to use salt and other food stuffs for his own cooking. Following the discovery, Dutroux's cell was searched using a metal detector.
One of Dutroux's lawyers said the other inmates as well as prison guards had access to the cupboard. "My client had absolutely no intention of escaping," he told reporters outside the courthouse.
The discovery of the key is the latest incident to put in doubt the extra security measures adopted for the trial which began on March 1st.
On the first day of the trial, the back door of the armoured van bringing Dutroux to prison from the courthouse flew open. A few days later, photographs of Dutroux's cell and his daily routine appeared in a magazine, leading to the suspension of a prison guard.
Two government ministers resigned in 1998 after Dutroux escaped custody.
Dutroux, who faces charges of kidnapping and raping six girls and murdering four of them, has played to conspiracy theories that he was protected by people in high places, insisting he was a pawn in a paedophile ring.