Flash Bulletin: Attack on Swedes in Brussels, October 16th

Two Swedes were shot and killed Monday night in a terrorist attack at Sainctelette Square in Brussels, Belgium. A third person was shot and taken to hospital.

On Tuesday morning, Belgian media confirmed the suspected perpetrator had been shot at a café in the neighborhood of Schaarbeek in Brussels. The presumed perpetrator died as he was transported to hospital. The weapon used in the attack, an American AR-15, was found on his body, according to Belgian Minister of Internal Affairs Annelies Verlinden.

While the background and motive remain unclear, the perpetrator appears to deliberately have been targeting Swedes who were in Brussels for a qualifying match with the national team of Belgium in the European Cup. As a result of the attack, the match ended at half-time. For safety reasons, the approximately 500 Swedish supporters were held back at the stadium before the evacuation began at about 1:30 a.m. The last supporter was able to leave at about 4:00 a.m. The hotel’s supporters are staying in are under police protection. The supporters will be escorted by police to the airport. The Swedish national team has returned to Sweden. 

On Tuesday, several Swedish businesses in Belgium, including a Volvo factory and an Ikea store, reportedly increased their security. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is advising Swedes abroad to be cautious and avoid disclosing their nationality.

The suspected perpetrator is reportedly a 45-year-old Tunisian who remained in Belgium illegally after his 2019 application for a residence permit was declined in 2020. He allegedly has ties to previous terrorist attacks in Tunisia. 

In a video that appeared to be produced and posted on social media in the immediate aftermath, the perpetrator thanked God before proclaiming his Jihadist name and that he is a Mujahedin for Allah within the Islamic State (ISIS). He further mentions that he killed three Swedes. This confirms the deliberate choice to target Swedes.

The video did not contain footage of the shooting itself. This may be a tactical decision to ensure a broader spread of the video, considering the heightened enforcement against terrorist-produced content depicting acts of violence. The removal of such materials can typically be facilitated through the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism’s Content Incident Protocol. This enforcement could be supported by frameworks such as the EU Digital Services Act and initiatives such as the Christchurch Call, which was established in the aftermath of the live-streamed 2019 terrorist attack in New Zealand.

As the video does not depict acts of violence, it has been disseminated by, among others, Swedish media. While it is important that the public remains informed in the aftermath of such attacks, we at Glitterpill strongly advise against amplifying terrorist-produced messaging as it may draw increased attention and add credibility to the perpetrator in the eyes of those who may be inspired to commit similar acts of violence.

The motivation for the attack is still unclear.

In the hours prior to the attack, the perpetrator wrote about the murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American child who was stabbed 26 times because he was Muslim. The child’s mother was also wounded by more than a dozen stab wounds in the attack. The perpetrator of the attack was the family’s landlord. While he has not made a statement, the attack is suspected to be targeted due to the faith of the family, their Palestinian origins, and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The perpetrator of the Brussels attack had also liked and followed conspiracy pages spreading false narratives promoting the idea that Swedish child protective services and social services have been kidnapping Muslim children. Increased anger and security threats directed at Sweden following high publicity burnings of the Quran by Islamophobic far-right groups can also not be ignored. These incidents, some of which allegedly are tied to Russian-funded actors, have also led to contestation over the NATO membership application of Sweden, as Turkey has raised concerns.

While Belgian security services were aware of potential threats in relation to the situation in the Middle East, they have admitted that the football match in question was not seen as a particularly high-risk event, as the threats against Sweden due to the burnings of the Quran were not on their radar.

The attack has already inspired far-right backlash in the form of claims Europe has lost its ability to keep the population safe from Islamist extremism. This is seemingly already driving increased islamophobia in the public discourse and social media.

While the perpetrator alleged allegiance to ISIS and Belgian security forces still investigated the possibility of multiple perpetrators, he is assumed to have acted alone. 

The attack follows a pattern seen in other high-profile attacks in Europe, carried out by both by ISIS and individuals and groups affiliated with far-right ideologies. These attacks aim to target large public gatherings of civilians. This tactic seeks high impact both in the number of casualties and in the media narratives following the events. This is consistent with attacks in Nice, Paris, Stockholm, Manchester, and other locations.

Security surrounding large-scale public events remains a challenge for security authorities. 

While we mourn the loss of this senseless act of terror, we must also seize the opportunity to learn and enhance our understanding of the risks we face. Novel approaches are required to grapple with novel challenges.

The increasingly complex international landscape of actors, events, and conspiracy theories presents new challenges. These challenges can only be grappled with by studying the dynamic international and interconnected relationship between individuals, behaviors, and driving factors. 

As more information emerges about this attack, we at Glitterpill will remain vigilant. We will investigate networks and dynamics associated with this attack and in close collaboration with our partners and clients. We will, as always, strive to use what we learn to end the cyclical nature of violence, to prevent the next attack, and to secure a peaceful future for all.