Wednesday, February 12, 2025
-0.7 C
Hamburg

Two Swedish National Shot Dead In Terror Attack In Central Brussels

Two Swedish nationals were shot to death and a third person was wounded in central Brussels on Monday night, and a man who identified himself as a member of the Islamic State claimed responsibility in a video posted online.

The suspected assailant fled the scene after the shooting as a football match between Belgium and Sweden was about to start, triggering a massive manhunt and prompting Belgium to raise its terror alert to the highest level.

A Belgian federal prosecutor said there was no evidence that the attacker, who was still on the loose, had any link to the recent renewed conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants.

The likely motive for the attack was the Swedish nationality of the victims, the prosecutor said.

Sweden in August raised its terror alert to the second-highest level, warning of an increase in threats against Swedish interests abroad, after Koran burnings and other acts in Sweden against Islam’s holiest text outraged Muslims and triggered threats from jihadists.

The suspected assailant, calling himself Abdesalem Al Guilani, claimed in a video on social media that he was a fighter for Allah. The federal prosecutor said the third victim, who was wounded but whose condition was not in life-threatening, was a taxi driver. The prosecutor called on Brussels’ residents to stay indoors until the threat was over. European Commission staff were also advised to stay indoors.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo confirmed on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the victims were Swedish.

“I have just offered my sincere condolences to the Swedish PM following tonight’s harrowing attack on Swedish citizens in Brussels,” de Croo said on X.

“Our thoughts are with the families and friends who lost their loved ones. As close partners, the fight against terrorism is a joint one,” he said.

Sweden’s Justice minister, Gunnar Strommer, told Reuters the government was working intensively with Belgian authorities to get more information about what happened.

All Swedes in Belgium will receive a text message sent to their phones urging them to be vigilant and to follow instructions from Belgian authorities, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said.

Belgium’s interior minister said the investigation was in the hands of a federal prosecutor because of “a possible terrorist motive.”

One Belgian newspaper said it was likely that the victims were two soccer supporters. Belgium were hosting Sweden in a Euro 2024 qualifying match on Monday evening. The match was suspended at halftime because of security reasons.

The shooting comes at a time of heightened security concerns in some European countries linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict. France is deploying 7,000 extra troops onto its streets after a teacher was fatally stabbed on Friday in an attack President Emmanuel Macron condemned as “barbaric Islamic terrorism.”

Video footage of the Brussels attack posted on the Het Laatste Nieuws newspaper website showed a man in an orange jacket on a scooter at a street intersection with a rifle first firing two shots, then three more, then running into a building, firing two more shots, leaving, taking a few steps back again and shooting one more time.

One Belgium newspaper said a witness said the shooter shouted “Allahu Akbar” before the shots were fired.

According to a media transcript of the video message recorded by the self-declared perpetrator, 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.”

France is tightening controls at the border with Belgium after the deadly attack in Brussels, Belgian media said.

Belgium’s crisis centre warned the public not to make any unnecessary trips in the capital.

SourceReuters

Hot this week

Men make up 70% of supporters of Germany’s far-right AfD — Study

Agency Report - Leipzig, Germany - More than 70% of supporters...

More PDP Lawmaker Decamps To APC

Garba Koko, a member of the House of Representatives...

Trump Sacks USAID Inspector General

Agency Report - US President Donald Trump has fired the...

2Baba Confirms Relationship With Edo Lawmaker Natasha, Says ‘I Want To Marry Her’

Nigerian music star Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba...

Tinubu’s Reform Bills Scales Second Reading

The reform bills proposed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu...

Latest

Men make up 70% of supporters of Germany’s far-right AfD — Study

Agency Report - Leipzig, Germany - More than 70% of supporters...

More PDP Lawmaker Decamps To APC

Garba Koko, a member of the House of Representatives...

Trump Sacks USAID Inspector General

Agency Report - US President Donald Trump has fired the...

Tinubu’s Reform Bills Scales Second Reading

The reform bills proposed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu...

New NBET Chairman, Sulaiman Argungu, Assumes Office, Calls for Collaboration

The newly appointed Chairman of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity...

EU To Finance Renewable Energy Solutions In Nigeria

The European Union (EU) and Germany have partnered to...

German court shortens mammoth fraud trial of former Wirecard boss

Agency Report - Munich  - The largest fraud trial in Germany's...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Section

spot_imgspot_img

MORE FROM CHATNEWSTV

Wike Directs Security Agencies to Monitor Almajiri Influx, Suspicious Movements in FCT

Agency Report - Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has directed security agencies to monitor the influx of people that could pose...

Director hopes for Ukraine peace deal framework at Munich conference

The director of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) hopes the "contours" of a peace agreement for Ukraine could be reached at the international summit in...

Pentagon Prioritizes Homeland Defense, Warfighting, Slashing Wasteful Spending

U.S Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said efforts at the Defense Department include modernizing the nuclear triad and building an iron dome for the U.S.,...

Ramaphosa Orders Flags at Half-Mast to Honor Fallen Soldiers

JOHANNESBURG (CHATNEWSTV) — President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday ordered the national flag flown at half-mast for seven days to mourn 14 South African soldiers...

Fausto Isidro Meza-Flores Added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List

The FBI on February 4 added Fausto Isidro Meza-Flores to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. He is the 533rd addition to the list. Meza-Flores, also known as "Chapo...

Germany’s Luftwaffe opens new headquarters to command air operations

Agency Report - Berlin  - The German air force is strengthening its ability to plan and command defence operations from a new headquarters in north-western Germany. A...

Pakistani Born Mehtab Syed Named FBI Special Agent in Charge of Salt Lake City Field Office

WASHINGTON (CHATNEWSTV) — The FBI has named Pakistani born Mehtab Syed as the special agent in charge of its Salt Lake City Field Office,...

U.S., El Salvador Sign Nuclear Cooperation Agreement

WASHINGTON (CHATNEWSTV) — The United States and El Salvador signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Monday to advance strategic civil nuclear cooperation, strengthening...

G7 Foreign Ministers Condemn M23 Offensive in Eastern DRC, Call For Ceasefire

The G7 Foreign Ministers, along with the High Representative of the European Union, have strongly condemned the recent offensive by the Rwanda-backed M23 group...