Brussels has been brought to a standstill after two people were killed when a gunman claiming to be a member of ISIS went on a rampage and opened fire on a group of Swedish football fans.
The gunman is said to have begun shooting at the men as they passed through Boulevard d’Ypres just a few minutes north of the city’s famous Grand Plaza.
The Swedes were wearing their team’s jerseys and were believed to be on their way to a match at King Baudouin Stadium, where Sweden were playing Belgium. A third person is said to be seriously injured.
The alleged attacker used the name ‘Slayem Slouma’ to boast about the two murders on Facebook, adding he sought to avenge the killing of a six-year-old US-Palestinian boy.
Speaking in Arabic, he celebrated the slaughter, and said he committed them in the name of ISIS. The shooter remains at large. Police confirmed that the man in the video – wearing an orange jacket, black scarf, yellow baseball hat and heavy black beard – was the one they were searching for in relation to the attack.
The match between Belgium and Sweden has now been abandoned, with players and fans locked inside the stadium. The city’s terror alert has been raised to a level 4 – its highest, with the spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor telling people to ‘Go home and stay at home as long as the threat has not been eradicated’.
The match was called off after ‘the players decided they do not want to continue the game, because of what happened earlier today in Brussels,’ an announcement said.
A UEFA spokesperson said: ‘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.
‘Further communication will be made in due course.’ Footage shared online shows the alleged shooter dressed in a fluorescent orange jacket arriving at the scene on his moped.
The alleged shooter then ran after several people as they flee into a building, while firing from an automatic rifle. The OCAD anti-terror centre also said that the terror alert for the rest of the country was raised to its second-highest level.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo suggested the attack was linked to ‘terrorism’ and convened an emergency meeting of top Cabinet ministers.
‘I have just offered my sincere condolences to @SwedishPM following tonight’s harrowing attack on Swedish citizens in Brussels,’ De Croo said. He added on X, formerly known as Twitter, ‘As close partners the fight against terrorism is a joint one.’
