The suspect in the Brussels killing of two Swedish football fans was shot and fatally wounded by police during his arrest Tuesday, officials said.
Updated at 10.40am Paris time
"The perpetrator of the terrorist attack in Brussels has been identified and has died," Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden wrote on social media.
Earlier, on Tuesday Belgian police arrested a man suspected of having gunned down two Swedish football fans in an attack in Brussels, after an overnight man-hunt.
Spokesman for the prosecutor's office, Eric Van Duyse told French news agency AFP that officers "opened fire" as they apprehended the man in the Schaerbeek area of the city.
The anti-terror center raised its alert to a top rating of 4, meaning a "threat is extremely serious". It previously stood at 2, which means the threat was average. The alert level or the rest of the country was raised to 2.
The shooting took place just ahead of the Euro 2024 Group F qualifier match between Belgium and Sweden on Monday evening.
Several Belgian media outlets said the two individuals killed were wearing football shirts belonging to the Swedish national team.
In a video shared online by Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, the shooter is seen with an automatic weapon on his shoulder, fleeing on a scooter. Four gunshots can be heard in the video.
A third individual was hurt in the attack but officials said the person was not in a critical condition.
35,000 fans blocked at stadium
The UEFA website said the match had been suspended at half-time at one goal apiece.
Around 35,000 fans attended the match and had to wait for two and a half hours before police began to evacuate the stadium around midnight.
Officers provided extra protection for Swedish nationals at the game, escorting Sweden's national players directly to the airport to leave safely, Belgium's football association CEO told the country's RTBF channel.
In a video posted on social media, a man identifying himself as the attacker said "he was inspired by the Islamic State" (IS) extremist group, Van Duyse said on the LN24 news channel.
The individual claiming the attack said the Swedish nationality of his victims was a motivation, Van Duyse said but added there appeared to be no links with the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.
The federal prosecutor in charge of terrorism cases has launched an investigation.
Sweden has been at the centre of a bitter row this year with Muslim countries after multiple burnings of the Koran, Islam's holy book.
Condolences
Meanwhile, European leaders were quick to react to the attack.
Belgium's premier, Alexander De Croo offered "my sincere condolences" to the Swedish PM in a social media post.
"Our thoughts are with the families and friends who lost their loved ones. As close partners the fight against terrorism is a joint one," he wrote.
"Devastated by the news of two Swedish football supporters murdered in Brussels tonight and a third person being seriously wounded. All my thoughts are with their families and loved ones," Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said.
The Belgian royal palace said it was "shocked" by the shooting.
"Tonight, my thoughts are with the families of the two victims of the despicable attack in Brussels," president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen posted on social media.
"I extend my heartfelt support to the Belgian police, so they swiftly apprehend the suspect. Together, we stand united against terror."
French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe was "shaken" by an "Islamist" attack in Brussels, while France's interior minister had earlier given instructions to strengthen border controls with Belgium.
Belgium had already been the target of an attack claimed by IS extremists in March 2016, at Brussels' main airport and on the metro system, which killed 32 people.
(with AFP)
