Brussels shooting live: Swedes abroad warned of terror attacks after country becomes ‘target among jihadists’
Swedish PM said Monday night’s attack in Brussels was “aimed at Sweden and Swedish citizens”.
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Your support makes all the difference.Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called on the European Union to bolster border controls and internal security after a gunman killed two Swedes in Brussels on Monday.
A 45-year-old Tunisian terror suspect opened fire and killed two Swedish football fans. He died on Tuesday after being shot by police in a cafe.
Footage shared online showed a man dressed in an orange jacket unloading several shots, using a large weapon. The bearded man was reportedly seen leaving the crime scene on a scooter.
After the shooting suspect Abdesalem Lassoued posted a video on Facebook about the killings, claiming he was a member of Islamic State (IS) and had killed “three Swedes so far”.
“All indications are that this is a terror attack aimed at Sweden and Swedish citizens only due to them being Swedish,” Kristersson told a news conference.
Sweden raised its terror alert to its second-highest level in August after Koran burnings and other acts in Sweden against Islam’s holiest text outraged Muslims and the government warned that the country had become a priority target among jihadists.
Sweden’s embassies urged nationals to exercise increased vigilance abroad while Swedes at home voiced concerns about safety.
Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs: ‘We will find the murderer’
Sweden’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tobias Billstrom, said that along with their Belgian counterparts, authorities would “find the murderer”.
“Devastated by the news of two Swedish football supporters murdered in Brussels tonight and a third person being seriously wounded,” he wrote on X.
“All my thoughts are with their families and loved ones. Swedish authorities work closely with their Belgian partners to find the murderer.”
Major police operation underway in Brussels commune – reports
According to Het Laatste Nieuws, a major police operation is underway in Schaerbeek, with officers there in large numbers.
The alleged gunman is reported to have being stying in the Brussels commune illegally. No information about the suspect has been released by authorities.
Gunman still at large after almost five hours
No new information has emerged about the suspected gunman’s location, almost five hours on from the initial attacks in which two Swedish nationals were killed.
The incident took place around 7.15pm local time, with authorities unable to share further information since then.
Fans at the King Baudouin Stadium have been evacuated, with some telling Dutch-language newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that the process had gone “smoothly”.
Brussels police cordon off an area near to the shooting
Von der Leyen sends condolences to people of Sweden
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said her thoughts were with the people of Sweden following the attack.
Writing on X, she said: “I want to express my deepest condolences to @SwedishPM Kristersson and the Swedish people who have lost two of their compatriots tonight in the cowardly attack in Brussels. Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.”
Watch Live: Police cordon scene after two people shot dead in Brussels
Suspected claimed to be inspired by IS in online video
Violent footage circulating on social media appeared to show the suspect, wearing a bright orange jacket, firing a large weapon in the centre of Brussels.
Later and in a separate post, a man in a similar jacket, claimed to be the attacker said he had been inspired by the Islamic State (IS) and said he had shot the people to “avenge the Muslims”.
The National Crisis Centre said the message cited the victims’ Swedish nationality as a possible motive for the act.
Supporters in the stands following the Euro qualifier suspension
King Baudouin Stadium evacuated by authorities
Fans at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels are being evacuated, as the gunman remains at learge.
The National Crisis Centre announced the evacuation, but urged supporters to follow the instructions of the emergency services and return home immediately.
Fans watching the Euro 2024 qualifier between Belgium and Sweden had previously been told to remain inside the stadium and await further information.
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