Belgium terror alert: Fatal shooting in Brussels leaves two Swedes dead; Belgium-Sweden Soccer match halted
Brussels, October 17: In a shocking and brutal attack in Brussels, a gunman with suspected extremist motives killed two Swedish individuals and then vanished into the night. The incident was so terrifying that it prompted the authorities to shut down a Belgium-Sweden soccer match, temporarily confining 35,000 fans as a precaution.
Eric Van Duyse, spokesperson for the federal prosecutor's office, revealed that the investigation is focusing on "a possible terrorist motivation for the shooting" after a claim of responsibility was posted on social media.
"This individual claims to be inspired by the Islamic State," Van Duyse stated, adding that, "The Swedish nationality of the victims is believed to be the probable motive."
Notably, Sweden had elevated its terror alert level to the second-highest in August due to threats from Islamic militant groups following public Quran burnings by an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden.
Van Duyse also clarified, "At this time, no evidence points to a possible connection with the Israeli-Palestinian situation," which offers some relief in a Europe where many nations are on high alert for potential attacks related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In Belgium, the anti-terror center raised the terror alert in the capital to the highest level (4), signifying an "extremely serious threat." It had previously been at level 2, indicating an average threat. The rest of the country's alert level was raised to 2.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo expressed his condolences to the Swedish Prime Minister, stating, "As close partners, the fight against terrorism is a joint effort."
Regarding the soccer match, Van Duyse explained that "security measures were urgently taken to protect the Swedish supporters" at the national stadium near the scene of the shooting. After a suspension lasting over two hours, a message on the stadium screen informed fans that they could leave calmly, as the search for the gunman continued and the stands emptied onto the streets under police protection.
- With inputs from agencies
