In a video posted online, the shooter who carried out a lone-wolf attack in Brussels that left two Swedish nationals dead and a third person hurt identified himself as a member of the terrorist organization ISIS, according to a report on Tuesday from Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera reports that the suspect fled the scene of the shooting incident on Monday night while Belgian police were searching for him.
Eric Van Duyse, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office, said the investigation was focused on “a possible terrorist motivation for the shooting” after “a claim of responsibility was posted on social media”.
Authorities said they were working to determine the veracity of the video.
“This person claims to be inspired by Islamic State,” Van Duyse said, adding “The Swedish nationality of the victims was put forward as the probable motive.”
According to Al Jazeera, the suspected assailant, calling himself Abdesalem Al Guilani, claimed on social media that he was “a fighter for [God]” and a “member of ISIL” (ISIS).
Two persons were killed in the shooting incident in central Brussels on Monday evening, CNN reported citing Belgian public broadcaster VRT.
The deceased were reportedly of Swedish nationality.
According to CNN, which quoted Belgian media, neither the suspect’s whereabouts nor the reason for the killings could be established. Alexander De Croo, the prime minister of Belgium, expressed his condolences to the families of the Brussels attack victims after the shooting incident.