On 17th October, the Belgian authorities informed media that they have shot dead the suspect who carried out the Brussels terror attack killing two Swedish football fans and injuring a third individual.
Speaking with AFP, Spokesman Eric Van Duyse added that officers “opened fire” as they apprehended the man in the Schaerbeek area of the city. However, Duyse did not specify if the suspect was killed. Citing local media reports, several social media handles said that the ISIS terrorist succumbed to bullet wounds, however, authorities at the time did not specified whether he got fatally wounded during a manhunt launched after the terrorist attack.
BREAKING: Brussels terror suspect has been killed
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) October 17, 2023
Brussels terror suspect shot by police at local cafe, minister says
— BNO News (@BNONews) October 17, 2023
#WATCH : Brussels terror suspect has been killed.#Brussels #BrusselsAttack #BrusselsTerrorAttack #brusselsUnderAttack #USA #ISIS #Terrorist #ISISterrorist #latest #BREAKING_NEWS #Belgium #Bruxelles #BelgiumShooting pic.twitter.com/mrCfdrMSY0
— upuknews (@upuknews1) October 17, 2023
As per BBC, the Brussels police shot a man in a café in the Schaerbeek neighbourhood citing local media and he succumbed to his injuries. Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden noted that the person who was shot was likely to be the suspect. According to Flemish public broadcaster VRT, Verlinden added that the automatic weapon found on him was the same as the one used in Monday’s attack.
Earlier, Van Duyse asserted that the murder investigation was centering on “a possible terrorist motivation for the shooting” after “a claim of responsibility was posted on social media.”
Van Duyse said, “This person claims to be inspired by Islamic State. The Swedish nationality of the victims was put forward as the probable motive.”
It is important to note that in August, Sweden had raised its terror alert to the second-highest level after a spree of public Quran-burnings cases were reported in the country. The alleged incident was reportedly carried out by an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden which resulted in threats from Islamic militant groups.
However, Van Duyse stated that at this time, no element indicates a possible link with the Israeli-Palestinian situation.
Belgian authorities have called it an act of Terrorism
Hours earlier, on 16th October (local time), an ISIS terrorist killed two Swedish nationals and injured a third person in Brussels, Belgium. The authorities later declared it as an act of terrorism. As per media reports, the assailant is an Tunisian refugee who reportedly had a history of criminal records there.
Amid the terror attack, the Belgium-Sweden Euro 2024 qualifier football match that was being played in the city was abandoned at half time. The victims were reportedly wearing the Swedish national team’s football shirts. Following the incident, Swedish footballers informed they did not want to play the second half, to which the Belgian team agreed. For some time, around 35,000 fans that were present at the stadium were asked to remain inside for safety. Later, the authorities evacuated them.
Belgian federal prosecutor spokesperson Eric Van Duyse stated that the terrorist published a video on social media and said the Islamic State terrorist group inspired him.
In the video in Arabic, the terrorist, who identified himself as Abdesalem Al Guilani, said that he carried out the attack in the name of Allah and killed three people. He said, “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, Alhamdulilah. Your brother took revenge in the name of Muslims. I have killed 3 Swedes so far Alhamdulilah. 3 Swedish, yes. Those to whom I have done something wrong, may they forgive me and I forgive everyone. Salam Aleykoum.”
