what is the profile of the alleged attacker?

In videos, filmed before and after the attack, Abdesalem L. takes responsibility for his act, claims to have killed Swedes and clamor being an ISIS fighter. The suspected shooter, aged 45, is a Tunisian national living illegally in Belgium. His request for asylum was refused in 2019, because foreign police services had alerted Belgium that he wanted to go to jihad. Vincent Van Quickenbornethe Belgian Minister of Justice, indicates: “He was known to the police for suspicious acts. […] There was no concrete indication of radicalization.”

Reinforced controls

In front of his home, Tuesday morning, police officers are on duty. All night, his apartment was searched. Weapons were found. Neighbors in this rather popular district of Brussels seem incredulous. “It is not written on their faces that they are terrorists, Unfortunately“recognizes a local resident. The suspect did not appear in the Belgian file of radicalized people. The police are still looking for possible accomplices. At the border with France, controls have been strengthened.