Terrorist attack in Brussels | Two Swedes killed, attacker still on the run

(Brussels) Two Swedish nationals were killed Monday evening in Brussels in a gun attack described as a “cowardly attack” by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, and whose perpetrator, who fled on a scooter, was actively searched during the night.

A video message of protest was published on social networks by a man “presenting himself as the attacker and claiming to be inspired by the Islamic State”, underlined the federal prosecutor’s office, responsible for terrorism cases, which was seized of investigation.

According to several Belgian media, the suspect, Abdesalem L., is a 45-year-old man of Tunisian origin who lives in the Brussels commune of Schaerbeek.

The terrorist threat level was raised to four, considered “very serious” (maximum level) on Monday evening in the Brussels region. The slogan is “to stay at home until the threat is eradicated”.

The attack occurred shortly after 7 p.m. (1 p.m. Eastern Time) near Place Sainctelette in Brussels, a few hours before a Euro 2024 qualifying football match between Belgium and Sweden. at the King Baudouin stadium.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said he was “devastated” by this attack which cost the lives of two Swedish supporters.

According to initial information, the attacker targeted them and a taxi driver with an automatic weapon. The latter was injured, but is now out of danger.

” Devastated ”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denounced a “despicable attack”, while French President Emmanuel Macron deplored an “Islamist terrorist attack”. France has announced a strengthening of its border controls.

The Belgium-Sweden match was stopped at half-time, around 9:30 p.m. local time.

But the approximately 35,000 spectators at the Roi-Baudouin stadium were then held back for more than two hours as a security measure. The enclosure was gradually evacuated, and the Swedish supporters were escorted to the airport to return to their country.

On the social network He called for unity in “the fight against terrorism”.

“I am currently with the Ministers of Justice and the Interior at the national crisis center. We are monitoring the evolution of the situation and asking Brussels residents to be vigilant,” added Mr. De Croo.

In the protest video, “the Swedish nationality of the victims is mentioned as a probable motivation for the act,” said a spokesperson for the federal prosecutor’s office, Eric Van Duyse.

Sweden, whose image had deteriorated significantly this summer in the Muslim world after several desecrations of the Koran authorized on its soil, decided on August 17 to raise its terrorist alert level, estimating that the threat of attacks ” will persist for a long time.

“At this stage, there is no evidence to indicate a potential link with the Israeli-Palestinian situation,” Eric Van Duyse further underlined.

In a fluorescent orange jacket

In the context of war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, France went into “emergency attack” mode on Friday after the assassination of a teacher stabbed in a high school by a radicalized former student.

In Brussels, the suspected shooter was wearing a fluorescent orange jacket at the time of the attack with an automatic weapon and fled on a scooter, according to a video of the scene broadcast by the media, where at least four gunshots can be heard. fire.

Belgium has already been the target of several attacks claimed by the Islamic State group.

The deadliest was perpetrated on March 22, 2016, when Brussels was hit by a double suicide attack at Zaventem airport and in the metro in the middle of the European district. There were 35 deaths.