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2 Brussels Police Officers Are Knifed in ‘a Potential Terrorist Attack’ 2 Brussels Police Officers Are Knifed in ‘a Potential Terrorist Attack’
(about 1 hour later)
BRUSSELS — A man wounded two police officers with a knife in Brussels around noon on Wednesday in what the authorities called “a potential terrorist attack.”BRUSSELS — A man wounded two police officers with a knife in Brussels around noon on Wednesday in what the authorities called “a potential terrorist attack.”
The two officers were attacked on the Boulevard Lambermont in the Schaerbeek district, just north of the city center. A third police officer, who came to their aid, was also injured. None of the three had life-threatening injuries.The two officers were attacked on the Boulevard Lambermont in the Schaerbeek district, just north of the city center. A third police officer, who came to their aid, was also injured. None of the three had life-threatening injuries.
The man suspected of carrying out the assault was shot in the leg. He was identified only as Hicham D., 43, a Belgian citizen.The man suspected of carrying out the assault was shot in the leg. He was identified only as Hicham D., 43, a Belgian citizen.
“The provisional results of the investigation indicate that it would be a potential terrorist attack,” Eric Van der Sijpt, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office, said in a statement. “The investigating judge specializing in terrorism cases will decide later” about the suspect’s “further detention.”“The provisional results of the investigation indicate that it would be a potential terrorist attack,” Eric Van der Sijpt, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office, said in a statement. “The investigating judge specializing in terrorism cases will decide later” about the suspect’s “further detention.”
Mr. Van der Sijpt said that Hicham D. was a former soldier and member of the Belgian Armed Forces, but did not say whether he had been cited before in terrorism investigations.Mr. Van der Sijpt said that Hicham D. was a former soldier and member of the Belgian Armed Forces, but did not say whether he had been cited before in terrorism investigations.
Earlier on Wednesday, bomb scares led to the evacuations of the Gare du Nord, one of the city’s three main train stations, and of the building housing the federal prosecutor’s office, which leads terrorism investigations. The police headquarters for western Brussels was also evacuated, although it was not clear whether this was because of a bomb threat. The threats did not appear to be connected to the knife attack, and no bombs were found, the authorities said.Earlier on Wednesday, bomb scares led to the evacuations of the Gare du Nord, one of the city’s three main train stations, and of the building housing the federal prosecutor’s office, which leads terrorism investigations. The police headquarters for western Brussels was also evacuated, although it was not clear whether this was because of a bomb threat. The threats did not appear to be connected to the knife attack, and no bombs were found, the authorities said.
The knife attack occurred as international leaders, including Secretary of State John Kerry, gathered a few miles away for a summit meeting hosted by the European Union on aid for Afghanistan. Security was tight for the meeting, which went on as scheduled.The knife attack occurred as international leaders, including Secretary of State John Kerry, gathered a few miles away for a summit meeting hosted by the European Union on aid for Afghanistan. Security was tight for the meeting, which went on as scheduled.
Brussels, the Belgian capital and the headquarters for most of the European Union’s core institutions, has been on high alert since March 22, when suicide bombers killed 32 people and injured hundreds of others in coordinated attacks at the city’s airport and at a subway station.Brussels, the Belgian capital and the headquarters for most of the European Union’s core institutions, has been on high alert since March 22, when suicide bombers killed 32 people and injured hundreds of others in coordinated attacks at the city’s airport and at a subway station.
There have been several attacks on police officers in the city’s Molenbeek and Schaerbeek districts in recent months.There have been several attacks on police officers in the city’s Molenbeek and Schaerbeek districts in recent months.
Schaerbeek had several connections to the attacks in March. Bombs used then, and in the November terrorist attacks in Paris, were assembled at an apartment in Schaerbeek. The neighborhood was also home to Najim Laachraoui, one of the bombers at the Brussels airport, and it was the location of a hide-out used by the suicide bombers.Schaerbeek had several connections to the attacks in March. Bombs used then, and in the November terrorist attacks in Paris, were assembled at an apartment in Schaerbeek. The neighborhood was also home to Najim Laachraoui, one of the bombers at the Brussels airport, and it was the location of a hide-out used by the suicide bombers.
The stabbings in Belgium followed several knife attacks in France by French extremists who became radicalized at home and never went to Syria, but who had ties to the Islamic State.The stabbings in Belgium followed several knife attacks in France by French extremists who became radicalized at home and never went to Syria, but who had ties to the Islamic State.
The first was committed by Larossi Abballa, who fatally stabbed a police officer and his partner in front of their 3-year-old son, whom Mr. Abballa showed in a Facebook Live video as the police were closing in. In the video, he boasted about the murders and said he had sworn loyalty to the Islamic State. Soon after, Mr. Abballa was killed in a fight with the police.
Barely six weeks later, on July 26, two teenagers, Adel Kermiche and Abdel-Malik Nabil Petitjean, entered a church in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy. They cut the throat of an 86-year-old priest, the Rev. Jacques Hamel, who was celebrating Mass, and badly injured a parishioner. In both cases, the assailants used kitchen knives.
And on Sept. 8, three women, at least two of them brandishing knives, were apprehended and accused of planning to attack a Paris-area train station. One of the three was also implicated in an effort to explode a car near the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.
While knife attacks generally kill far fewer people than those involving firearms, they are far easier to carry out because knives are readily available anywhere. In most of Europe, firearms, especially small arms, are heavily regulated and accessible for the most part only to law enforcement officers, with the exception of guns used for hunting. In France, not even all police units are armed.
In August, a man carrying a machete and shouting “Allahu akbar” injured two officers outside a police station in Charleroi, a city 31 miles south of Brussels. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.
The Belgian authorities identified police officers as possible targets of terrorist attacks as early as November 2015, in the immediate aftermath of the Paris attacks. Starting in late November, police officers were allowed to wear bulletproof vests and to carry their service weapons while traveling to and from work. Officials also ordered stricter security measures around police headquarters throughout the country.