Three individuals suspected of involvement in a terror attack in the capital last month are appearing before the Brussels Chambers on Friday, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office confirmed.
The three individuals were placed under arrest following five house searches in Ninove, Saint-Josse-ten-Node, and Ixelles on Monday. The three people who appeared before the chambers were associated with the weapons possessed by the perpetrator of the attack, Abdesalem Lassoued.
Lassoued used an AR-15 automatic rifle in the attack but also had two small arms and while he had the automatic rifle with him when he was shot in Schaerbeek, he had hidden the small arms in the vicinity of his home shortly after the attack.
Two of the suspects were charged with murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context and participation in the activities of a terrorist group, the third with violations of the weapons law.
The lawyer of the latter suspect asked for his client to be released on conditions, while the lawyer of one of the other two suspects asked for his client to be placed under electronic surveillance. According to both criminal lawyers, their clients dispute any involvement in the attack. The lawyer of the third suspect did not wish to make any statements.
The chambers will rule later in the day.
Police pictured near the Place Eugene following the terror attack. Credit: Belga
A man from the Flemish town of Tervuren had previously been detained in the investigation due to a potential connection in supplying the AR-15 firearm. His lawyer maintains that his client is innocent.
Timeline of events
The attack was carried out next to Boulevard d'Ypres near Place Sainctelette in the centre of Brussels at around 19:15 on 16 October. The suspect, Lassoued, initially targeted a taxi before pursuing the fleeing passengers. The passengers, two Swedish citizens, sought refuge in a building’s entrance, but Lassoued followed and fatally shot them.
A manhunt was launched for the perpetrator, who quickly claimed responsibility for the attack on social media. Lassoued was eventually shot and apprehended after police located him in a Schaerbeek cafe around 08:00 the following morning. Lassoued died of his injury.
Earlier this month, the Federal Police published a search notice at the request of the Brussels investigating judge. Police have issued a call for camera images (from mobile phones, dashcams, doorbell cameras or any other image recording) of the terrorist. They ask anyone who witnessed the attack or who encountered Lassoued between 16 and 17 October to report to investigators.
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- 'Wary of copycats': One month after Brussels terror attack, Belgium maintains threat level 3
Now more than a month since the attack, Belgium will maintain terrorist threat level 3, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced earlier this week. Threat level 3 has been in place since the shooting and will continue as the police are wary of copycats.
Level 3 is categorised as "serious" and means that the threat is "possible and probable". After the attack, the OCAD raised the level from 2 to 3 for the first time in over five years.
This article was updated at 15:00 to include additional information about their court appearances.
