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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Maroosha Muzaffar and Athena Stavrou

Brussels shooting live: Swedes abroad warned of terror attacks after country becomes ‘target among jihadists’

AP

Emergency services on scene after two people shot dead in Brussels

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called on the European Union to bolster border controls and internal security after a gunman killed two Swedes in Brussels on Monday.

A 45-year-old Tunisian terror suspect opened fire and killed two Swedish football fans. He died on Tuesday after being shot by police in a cafe.

Footage shared online showed a man dressed in an orange jacket unloading several shots, using a large weapon. The bearded man was reportedly seen leaving the crime scene on a scooter.

After the shooting suspect Abdesalem Lassoued posted a video on Facebook about the killings, claiming he was a member of Islamic State (IS) and had killed “three Swedes so far”.

“All indications are that this is a terror attack aimed at Sweden and Swedish citizens only due to them being Swedish,” Kristersson told a news conference.

Sweden raised its terror alert to its second-highest level in August after Koran burnings and other acts in Sweden against Islam’s holiest text outraged Muslims and the government warned that the country had become a priority target among jihadists.

Sweden’s embassies urged nationals to exercise increased vigilance abroad while Swedes at home voiced concerns about safety.

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