A man who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State killed two Swedish nationals and wounded a third in Brussels on Monday night. The suspect fled the shooting and remained at large as Belgian authorities conducted a massive manhunt.
The man called himself Abdesalem Al Guilani and stated he was a fighter for Allah in a video he posted online after the attack. The shooting occurred just before a soccer match between Belgium and Sweden, which was subsequently suspended at halftime. Belgium has since raised its terror alert to the highest level and France has increased security along its shared border. The violent act could be linked to escalating global tensions due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. France and the United States have also both experienced deadly outbursts from individuals instigated by the ongoing war. The victims of the shooting could also indicate the gunman acted in response to Quran burnings that raised tensions in Sweden over the summer. Belgium turned the investigation over to the federal public prosecutor’s office due to possible terrorist motives behind the attack.
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https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/two-swedes-shot-dead-brussels-police-2023-10-16/
