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Brussels ‘on highest terror alert’ and football fans told to stay in stadium after two shot dead | World News

The Euro 2024 qualifier between Belgium and Sweden was deserted at half-time following the deadly capturing in central Brussels on Monday night time.

By James Robinson, Sky News reporter @thejournojames


Police in Belgium have launched a manhunt after two Swedish individuals have been shot dead in a terror assault in Brussels.

The capturing precipitated Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifier in opposition to Sweden to be deserted at half-time on Monday night time.

Fans have been additionally stored in the stadium as armed officers looked for the suspected shooter – who has not but been discovered.

The capturing passed off about three miles (5km) from the 50,000-seater King Baudouin Stadium shortly after 7pm native time – round 45 minutes earlier than kick-off.

Shortly after, a person who claimed to be the shooter appeared on social media in a video in which he claimed to be a member of Islamic State (IS) and a “fighter for Allah”.



Image:
A map exhibiting the situation of the capturing and the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels

He additionally claimed he had carried out the assault in “revenge in the name of Muslims”.

One Belgium newspaper mentioned a witness heard the shooter shout “Allahu Akbar” – “God is great” in Arabic – earlier than the pictures have been fired.

Another video, reported to be of the incident, which has not been verified by Sky News, confirmed a gunman in a fluorescent orange jacket and a white helmet chasing a person right into a constructing earlier than capturing at him.

Moments earlier than deadly Brussels capturing

Belgium’s inside minister, Annelies Verlinden, mentioned the suspect was “actively being tracked down”.

Belgium’s National Crisis Centre raised the terror alert in the town to the highest degree on Monday night time. It was additionally moved to the second highest for the remainder of Belgium.

Brussels has a painful historical past with terrorism – this capturing will make it a nervous metropolis

Brussels is now a nervous metropolis – and with good cause. Somewhere out there’s a gunman who has already killed two individuals and apparently claimed to owe an allegiance to Islamic State. And the police cannot discover him.

The response has been swift and vital – the menace degree raised to its highest level, with individuals told to stay at house.

The Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander de Croo, denounced the killings as an act of terrorism, and then held a late-night cellphone name with the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

The football recreation between Belgium and Sweden was deserted, with each units of gamers unwilling to keep on. Then got here the issue of how the spectators could possibly be launched safely. At occasions like this, nervousness may be infectious and debilitating.

Brussels has a painful historical past with terrorism. Seven years in the past, the town was struck by twin assaults at its airport and then at a metro station.

Some of the perpetrators had additionally been concerned in the assaults on Paris, together with on the Bataclan.
Salah Abdeslam, a outstanding determine in each of those horrendous incidents, had been hidden and sheltered in Molenbeek, very close to the purpose the place these newest killings passed off.

So the echoes are painful, and the ripples of what has occurred now will run far. Brussels is scarred by what has occurred in the previous, fearful about what has occurred now, and very nervous about what may occur subsequent.

A spokesperson for Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s workplace told reporters that the investigation was specializing in “a possible terrorist motivation for the shooting”.

Eric Van Duyse mentioned: “During the evening, a claim of responsibility was posted on social media, having been recorded by a person claiming to be the assailant. This person claims to be inspired by Islamic State.”

He mentioned the Swedish nationality of the victims had been put ahead because the possible motive for the assault – however mentioned there was nothing to counsel a potential link with the present scenario between Israel and Gaza.



Image:
Forensic groups on the scene

A police spokesperson confirmed that two individuals had been killed in a capturing, however declined to give additional particulars.

The nation’s prime minister, Alexander de Croo, in the meantime, appeared to link the incident to terrorism.

In a submit on X, previously referred to as Twitter, he wrote: “I’ve simply supplied my honest condolences to the Swedish prime minister following tonight’s harrowing assault on Swedish residents in Brussels.

“Our ideas are with the households and associates who misplaced their family members. As shut companions, the struggle in opposition to terrorism is a joint one.”

In an earlier submit, he supplied his “deepest condolences” to the relatives of those killed in what he described as a “cowardly assault”.

He additionally urged the residents of Brussels to “be vigilant”.

Read extra from Sky News:
Six responsible of homicide over 2016 Brussels airport and prepare assault
Belgian Prime Minister knocked out after falling off bicycle

Swedish justice minister, Gunnar Strommer, mentioned his authorities was working with authorities in Belgium “to get extra details about what occurred”.

Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, urged Swedes in Belgium to stay vigilant and comply with the directions of the native authorities.



Image:
Sweden fans on the recreation on the King Baudouin Stadium



Image:
A Belgian supporter is comforted in the stands. Pic: AP

Meanwhile, France’s President Emmanuel Macron described the incident as an “Islamist terrorist attack”.

Speaking in Albania on Monday night – days after his personal nation was rocked by the deadly stabbing of a instructor in a suspected terror assault – Mr Macron mentioned: “Europe is being shaken”.

The capturing in Brussels passed off close to Boulevard d’Ypres – in an space to the north of the town centre.

The space is round three miles (5km) from the King Baudouin Stadium, the place the Euro 2024 qualifier was held.

A UEFA spokesperson confirmed the sport had been suspended on Monday.

In a press release, UEFA mentioned: “Following a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels this evening, it has been decided, after consultation with the two teams and the local police authorities, that the qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden is abandoned.”



Image:
Fans go away the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels

Sweden coach Janne Andersson later told Swedish web site Fotbollskanalen: “We can’t play football in this situation. We and Belgium completely agree that we shouldn’t play.”

Laura Demullier, of Belgium’s OCAD anti-terror centre, mentioned getting the hundreds of football fans attending the match safely out of the stadium was their high precedence.


This is a restricted model of the story so sadly this content material will not be obtainable.

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Over two hours after the sport was suspended, a message flashed on the large stadium display screen which mentioned: “Fans, you can leave the stadium calmly.”

Sweden has in latest months confronted rioting following a string of Koran-burning incidents in each Sweden and neighbouring Denmark.

Muslim leaders in Sweden have known as on the federal government to discover methods to cease the Koran burnings, however police have allowed them, citing freedom of speech.



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