Belgian police have arrested a suspected gunman following a manhunt for an ISIS supporter who shot dead two Swedish football fans in Brussels. The suspect, identified as Abdesalem Lassoued, was arrested in the Schaerbeek neighbourhood after police opened fire. Conflicting reports suggest that the suspect may have been wounded or killed. Prime Minister Alexander de Croo stated that the suspect was a man of Tunisian origin who had been living in the country illegally.
Belgian police have arrested a suspected gunman following a manhunt for an ISIS fanatic who shot and killed two Swedish football fans in Brussels. The attack, which took place in the Boulevard d’Ypres, was described as a terrorist attack. The suspect, identified as Abdesalem Lassoued, was apprehended in the Brussels neighborhood of Schaerbeek after an intensive manhunt. During the arrest, police opened fire, but it is unclear if the suspect was wounded.
Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the condition of the attacker. Some sources claim that he was shot dead by Belgian police officers, while others state that he was wounded during the arrest. Prime Minister Alexander de Croo stated that the suspect is a man of Tunisian origin who had been living illegally in the country. Lassoued, who declared himself an ISIS supporter, opened fire on a group of Swedish football fans in a taxi as they were passing through Boulevard d’Ypres. He then followed them into an apartment building and opened fire again in the entrance hall.
The shooting has shocked both Belgium and Sweden, with European leaders expressing their solidarity. The incident occurred just before a Belgium-Sweden football match, and the game was abandoned at halftime after the news spread. Swedish authorities are working closely with their Belgian counterparts to apprehend the suspect. The victims were wearing their team’s jerseys and were believed to be on their way to the match when they were attacked.
Belgian authorities have raised the terror alert for Brussels to the highest level and have increased border controls with neighboring countries. The attack comes five years after Brussels was targeted by an ISIS extremist attack in 2016, which killed 32 people. The motive behind the attack is believed to be revenge for the killing of a six-year-old US-Palestinian boy, but there are no apparent links to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.
The arrest of the suspected gunman brings some relief to the affected communities and demonstrates the swift action taken by Belgian police in response to the attack. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and authorities are working to gather more information about the attacker and any possible accomplices..
