Brussels Shooting: ISIS Gunman Claims Responsibility For Killing Two Swedes, Flees

Reuters

New Delhi: A gunman, who shot dead two Swedish nationals and wounded another person in Brussels on Monday night, said he was a member of the ISIS terrorist group and posted a video online claiming responsibility for the attack, Qatari news channel Al Jazeera reported. The shooter, who identified himself as Abdesalem Al Guilani, said he was “a fighter for [God]” and a “member of ISIL” (ISIS) and that he targeted the Swedes because of their nationality.

The suspect escaped after the attack and was being hunted by the Belgian police, who said they were investigating the shooting as a possible act of terrorism. Eric Van Duyse, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office, said they were verifying the authenticity of the video, which was posted on social media.

“This person claims to be inspired by Islamic State,” Van Duyse said, adding “The Swedish nationality of the victims was put forward as the probable motive.” The shooting took place in central Brussels on Monday evening, killing two people and injuring one, CNN reported citing Belgian public broadcaster VRT.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo expressed his condolences to the relatives of the victims and asked the people of Brussels to be vigilant. “My deepest condolences to the relatives of this cowardly attack in Brussels. I am closely following the situation, together with the Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs from @CrisiscenterBE. We are monitoring the situation and ask the people of Brussels to be vigilant,” De Croo wrote on X.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also offered her sympathy to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and the Swedish people. “I want to express my deepest condolences to @SwedishPM Kristersson and the Swedish people who have lost two of their compatriots tonight,” von der Leyen tweeted. “Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time,” she added.