Belgium Detains 3 More People Over Attack On Swedish Soccer Fansnewsbhunt

BRUSSELS: Belgium has detained three more suspects over the fatal shooting of two Swedes who were in Brussels to watch a European championship soccer match last month, a prosecutors spokesperson said on Wednesday, confirming reports in Belgian media.

The three men were arrested by police on Monday during five house searches in Brussels, he said, without elaborating.

Belgian broadcaster VRT reported that two of the suspects were charged with murder in a terrorist context and participation in the activities of a terrorist group, while the third one was charged with weapons offences.

The arrests came a month after police arrested a 45-year-old Tunisian man on suspicion of having shot the Swedes on Oct. 16 as the football match between Belgium and Sweden was about to start. Police said the Tunisian had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State jihadist group.

Justice Minister Vincent van Quickenborne subsequently resigned after an investigation revealed that a request by Tunisia to extradite the man from Belgium in August 2022 had not been acted on by Belgian justice authorities.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Reuters)