Two Swedish football fans were shot and killed and a taxi driver severely injured on Monday evening at 19:15 on Boulevard d'Ypres near Place Sainctelette: just a 20-minute walk from the Grand Place.
Video footage posted on social media shows the male shooter, who was dressed in an orange jacket and white helmet, shooting a rifle and shouting "Allah Akhbar". He chased the two victims into the lobby of a building, then returned to the street and fired at several cars. He then fled the scene on a scooter.
The Swedes are believed to have been en route to a Euro 2024 football qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden at the King Baudouin Stadium. The match was suspended at half-time when news broke of the shooting. Swedish fans were forced to stay in the stadium until the early hours of the morning due to security concerns.
Who is the suspect?
After an hours-long manhunt, the suspect, 45-year-old Abdeslam Lassoued, was found by Belgian police at a café in Schaerbeek at 08:00 on Tuesday morning. Lassoued was shot in the chest in the ensuing firefight; he was later taken to hospital where he died of his injuries.
Crime scene of the shooting incident in the Boulevard d'Ypres, Brussels, Tuesday 17 October 2023. Credit: Belga / James Arthur Gekiere
According to Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne, Lassoued had filed for asylum in Belgium in 2019; the application was rejected one year later. Lassoued had been residing illegally in Belgium ever since.
Van Quickenborne added that Lassoued had previously been convicted of "common legal offences" in Tunisia, but not for terrorism as previously reported. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has also claimed that Lassoued had previously spent some time in Sweden, where he did not commit any crimes.
Are we certain that Lassoued is guilty?
Belgian officials are certainly treating Lassoued as the guilty party. On X (formerly Twitter), Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden wrote: "The perpetrator of the terrorist attack in Brussels has been identified and died. We thank the intelligence and security services as well as the prosecution for their rapid and decisive intervention last night and this morning."
L'auteur de l'attentat terroriste à Bruxelles a été identifié et est décédé. Nous remercions les services de renseignement et de sécurité ainsi que le parquet pour leur intervention rapide et décisive hier soir et ce matin.
— Annelies Verlinden (@AnneliesVl) October 17, 2023
Similarly, Brussels Mayor Philippe Close wrote: "The terrorist was reportedly neutralised by the police. Our priority is to guarantee the safety of our fellow citizens. We act with composure and determination. Everyday life must be preserved as much as possible. Thank you to all public services for their collaboration."
Le terroriste aurait été neutralisé par la police. Notre priorité est de garantir la sécurité de nos concitoyen•nes. Nous agissons avec sang-froid et détermination. La vie courante doit être préservée au maximum. Merci à l’ensemble des services publics pour leur collaboration.
— Philippe Close (@PhilippeClose) October 17, 2023
There is a wealth of other evidence suggesting that Lassoued was indeed responsible for the attacks. For one thing, the gun reportedly used by Lassoued to murder his victims was found on his person after the firefight with police.
Moreover, in a video posted to social media shortly after the attacks, Lassoued, using a pseudonym, effectively confessed to the crimes.
"Islamic greeting Allahu Akbar," he said. "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... Your brother took revenge in the name of Muslims. I have killed three Swedes so far... Those to whom I have done something wrong, may they forgive me. And I forgive everyone. Salam Aleykoum."
1. Where the shooting happened; 2. Roi Badouin Stadium; 3. Cafe where suspect was found Credit: Belga
At a press conference later on Tuesday morning, Verlinden refused to confirm that Lassoued had acted alone. "The Federal Prosecutor's Office is doing everything possible to investigate all possible scenarios," she said. "As long as there is no clarification, no leads will be ruled out."
What were the motives for the attacks?
The Federal Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Eric Van Duyse refused to confirm the suspect's motive. "We cannot communicate further yet," he told Belga News Agency.
However, some media outlets have suggested that the killings might have been revenge for repeated Koran-burnings in Sweden over the last few months. Other newspapers have reported that they may have been retribution for the killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy, who was stabbed to death in Illinois on Saturday morning.
The Muslim Council of Belgium quickly condemned on Tuesday morning the Brussels terrorist attack, saying it "will redouble their efforts to counter this deadly extremism and its devastating impact," while also extending their deepest condolences to the victims' families.
Forensics near cafe Al Khaima in Schaerbeek. Credit: Belga / James Arthur Gekiere
The attack also comes just three days after a knife attack in northern France, in which Dominique Bernard, a French literature teacher, was killed by a former student. It also comes on the three-year-anniversary of the murder of Samuel Paty, another French secondary school teacher, who was beheaded by a Chechen Muslim refugee.
Monday's attack is not the first time that Belgium has been the victim of ISIS-related terrorism. In March 2016, Brussels Airport and Maelbeek metro station were hit by suicide bombings which killed 32 people.
In a much-publicised recent trial, eight men were convicted for their involvement in the attacks or for their links to terrorist groups.
What are the repercussions in Belgium?
The Belgian authorities raised the terror alert level to level four, its highest level, for the first time since the 2016 terror attacks. Nationally, the terror alert level has been set at level three. This is set to be reviewed at 15:00 on Tuesday.
The public has been asked to remain vigilant and to avoid unnecessary journeys. Belgium's National Crisis Centre has warned people not to make any unnecessary trips in or to the capital. The Flemish Government has also advised its workers against travelling to Brussels.
The site of the shooting on Boulevard d'Ypres. Monday 16 October 2023. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
The EU Commission in Brussels has raised its alert level and will ask its staff to work from home on Tuesday. Car parks for EU buildings will be closed to vehicles and EU schools and crèches will also be closed.
Several Brussels universities, as well as some schools, have switched to distance learning today. These include VUB and KU Leuven.
France has also tightened controls at the border with Belgium since the attack, according to Belgian media. However, Brussels' public transport system is reported to be running normally, as is Brussels Airport.
