The suspect in the murder of two Swedish football fans in Brussels has died after being shot dead by police in a cafe on Tuesday, according to Sunday World.
Local media reported that the 45-year-old Tunisian man who was shot in the chest died in hospital from his injuries. Belgium’s crisis centre has also confirmed that the perpetrator has been identified and has died. Authorities said more information would be released soon. Earlier, Brussels Mayor Philippe Close told BFM TV:
“It seems indeed the suspect has been neutralised.”
Annelies Verlinden, the Interior Minister, told VRT television that the automatic weapon found in the possession of the “neutralised man” was the same as the one used in the attack.
The 45-year-old Tunisian gunman also wounded a third Swedish national. Prime Minister Alexander de Croo called it a brutal act of terrorism. The country raised security in its capital to the highest level, increasing police presence, especially against Swedish citizens and institutions, and warned the public to be extra vigilant and cut down on unnecessary travelling.
Raising the terrorism level to the highest rating of 4 means that the threat is “extremely serious”. Earlier, a medium threat level was declared with a rating of 2. Mr de Croo described those who had carried out the shooting as “cowards”. He told a news conference on Tuesday morning that the night should have been a “great football party” and said the victims had been “murdered with extreme brutality”. He said:
“Terrorism is directed against people everywhere. Terrorists will never defeat us and we are fighting it together with our Swedish friends. Moments like these are a heavy ordeal but we are never going to let ourselves be intimidated by them.”
Earlier, Mr de Croo had written on X, formerly known as Twitter:
“I have just offered my sincere condolences to Swedish PM following tonight’s harrowing attack on Swedish citizens in Brussels. As close partners the fight against terrorism is a joint one.”
Eric Van Duyse, a spokesman for federal prosecutors, told reporters that the investigation was centred on a “possible terrorist motivation for the shooting”. He claimed:
“During the evening, a claim of responsibility was posted on social media, having been recorded by a person claiming to be the assailant. This person claims to be inspired by Islamic State. The Swedish nationality of the victims was put forward as the probable motive for the act. At this time, no element indicates a possible link with the Israeli-Palestinian situation.”
Mr Van Duyse said at the football match, he said, “security measures were urgently taken to protect the Swedish supporters”. Interior minister Annelies Verlinden said, adding that she was joining government talks at the National Crisis Centre:
“A horrible shooting in Brussels, and the perpetrator is actively being tracked down.”
Amateur video footage has been published on the internet showing a man firing a large-calibre weapon several times in a train station area. The video, published on the website of the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, shows a man in an orange jacket on a scooter at a street intersection with a rifle firing two shots, then three more, then running into a building, firing two more shots, coming out, taking a few steps back again and firing again.
A Belgian newspaper reported that, according to an eyewitness, the gunman had shouted before the shots were fired: “Allahu Akbar.” The self-proclaimed perpetrator recorded a video in which he said:
“Islamic greeting Allahu Akbar. My name is Abdesalem Al Guilani and I am a fighter for Allah. I am from the Islamic State. We love who loves us and we hate who hates us. We live for our religion and we die for our religion. Alhamdulah. Your brother took revenge in the name of Muslims. I have killed 3 Swedes so far Al hamdoulelah. 3 Swedish, yes. Those to whom I have done something wrong, may they forgive me. And I forgive everyone. Salam Aleykoum.”
Belgium says there is nothing to indicate that the attack is linked to the latest war between Israel and Hamas.
Overnight, police searched a building in the Brussels neighbourhood of Schaerbeek where the man was believed to be located, but did not find him. The Swedish Foreign Ministry sent a text message to Belgian residents asking them to “be vigilant and heed the instructions of the Belgian authorities”.
Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborn says the suspect has been refused asylum in 2019. He was known to police and was suspected of involvement in human trafficking, illegal residence in Belgium and endangering state security.
Information provided to the Belgian authorities by an unidentified foreign government suggested that the man was radicalised and intended to travel abroad to fight a holy war. However, the Belgian authorities failed to establish this, so he was never placed on the dangerous list.
Van Quickenborne said the man was also suspected of threatening a man at the refugee centre and a hearing on the incident was due to take place on Tuesday.
