An overnight manhunt for the gunman responsible for a terrorist attack in Brussels came to an end when police shot and killed the suspect. The attacker, suspected of killing two Swedish nationals, was apprehended at a cafe in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek around 8:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
Belgian authorities have been on high alert since the deadly attack occurred on Monday evening. During the attack, a man with an automatic rifle opened fire near Boulevard d’Ypres, just 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the King Baudouin Stadium, where Belgium was playing Sweden in a Euro 2024 qualifier soccer match. This act of terror forced the match to be abandoned at half-time, and the stadium was evacuated, with fans being instructed to return home immediately.
The gunman claimed his actions were inspired by the Islamic State in a video posted on social media. He also mentioned the Swedish nationality of the victims as a probable motivation. In addition to his social media posts, the attacker had expressed support for the Palestinian people, leading Belgian officials to consider a potential link between the attack and the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Belgium’s national crisis center confirmed the suspect’s death following a police intervention. While efforts were made to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the hospital later that morning. A military weapon was discovered at the cafe where the incident occurred.
The suspected gunman, a 45-year-old Tunisian man known as Abdesalem Al Guilani, had sought asylum in Belgium in November 2019, but his application was subsequently rejected. He had a history of legal issues in Belgium, including being known to authorities in connection with people-smuggling and illegal residence. The investigation into the attacker’s motivations is ongoing.
The attack, occurring as Belgium hosted Sweden in a soccer match, resulted in heightened security measures and the raising of the terror threat level to the highest level of 4. The French Interior Ministry also increased checks at the Franco-Belgian border in response to the situation.
Belgian officials have condemned the attack, with the country’s foreign minister, Hadja Lahbib, expressing their determination to combat radicalism and their condolences to the victims’ families and law enforcement.
The attack comes amid heightened security concerns in Europe due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. France recently deployed an additional 7,000 troops in response to a fatal stabbing incident that the French president, Emmanuel Macron, characterized as “barbaric Islamic terrorism.”
The shooting in Brussels has prompted discussions on border security and the need to bolster security measures across the European Union.
