(NationRise.com) – Two civilians and one shooter are dead in Brussels after a terrorist screaming “Allah hu Akbar” went on a shooting rampage Monday evening.
The shooter fled the scene on a scooter and was at large over the weekend. However, police shot and killed a 45-year-old man on October 17 suspected of carrying out the attack. Authorities are confident that it was the Brussels shooter but are awaiting the examination of evidence. That will include analyzing fingerprints and weapons found on the dead suspect.
The two victims were Swedish citizens visiting for the European Championship match between soccer teams from Sweden and Belgium.
Belgium responded by directing its anti-terror office, OCAD, to issue its highest alert level. This means that authorities believe a serious event is imminent.
A video shown on social media, but not yet verified by authorities, claims to show the attack from the shooter’s perspective. In it, he claims that he is a member of ISIS, an Islamic terrorist group, and was conducting the shooting to avenge Muslims. He also referred to his victims as “infidels.”
The attack in Brussels comes on the heels of a heated conflict between Israel and Hamas. The conflict began after Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel during a concert on October 7. Over 1,000 civilians died during the initial attack. Hamas militants took several more hostage.
Islamic leaders and terrorist groups have expressed support for Hamas and warned Israel and its allies, including the US, against retaliating. The US government is preparing 2,000 troops for deployment to the region to assist Israel. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was deployed to the region on Friday.
The conflict has led to heightened concerns across Europe. A growing number of authorities believe more attacks are inevitable on the continent. An Islamic attack also occurred in France last week after a teacher was stabbed. That attacker was also heard yelling, “Allah hu Akbar.”
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