Belgian archives raided in abuse inquiry.

• Position: ARCHIVES - Roman Catholic church - Brief article

Belgian police have seized documents from the Belgian 'National Archives related to an inquiry into the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic Church clergy in Belgium.

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"As far as we know, it is the first time in the history of the Belgian National Archives that records that are kept here are seized by the judicial authorities," according to an archives statement.

Police are investigating 475 cases concerning abuse. The documents taken from the archives relate to 30 allegations of sexual abuse. These allegations, and many others, were brought to a special commission set up with the church's support to aid victims of sexual abuse by priests. The commission's former director, Godelieve Halsberghe, quit in 2008 because she said the church was not cooperating.

The New York Times said Halsberghe, a retired magistrate, said she placed her documents with the National Archives in 2009 after receiving an anonymous phone call warning her to be careful about their safekeeping.

The police also raided the...