2018 Brussels stabbing attack | |
Location: | Brussels, Belgium |
Target: | Police, civilians |
Date: | 20 November 2018 |
Timezone: | CET |
Type: | Stabbing |
Fatalities: | 0 |
Injuries: | 2 (including the perpetrator) |
Victim: | --> |
Perpetrator: | Issam T |
Perps: | or |
Perp: | --> |
Assailant: | --> |
Susperp: | --> |
Weapons: | Knife |
Numpart: | --> |
Dfen: | --> |
The 2018 Brussels stabbing attack occurred on 20 November 2018 when a man wielding two knives attacked police officers outside a police station adjacent to the Grand-Place/Grote Markt (main square) in Brussels, Belgium. A police officer was wounded and the attacker was shot and injured by the police. Both the attacker and a wounded officer were hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries. An investigation for possible links to terrorism is underway. Jan Jambon, Belgium's Minister of the Interior and Security, said the suspect had been interned and recently freed.[1]
At around 5.30 am local time (CET) on 20 November 2018 a man attacked two policemen outside a police station adjacent to Brussels' central Grand-Place/Grote Markt, stabbing one of the officers in the neck with a knife.[2] [3] Witnesses reported that the knife-wielding attacker screamed "Allahu Akbar" as he threw himself at the two policemen.[4] [5] [6]
The wounded officer was then rushed to hospital. The Belgian police said that the officer who was injured was not in life-threatening danger, but would be incapacitated for many weeks.[7] The attacker, who wielded two kitchen knives, survived his injuries, but was left in a critical condition.[4]
Belgian media reported the man, named by local press only as "Issam T," was known to police for robbery and violent crimes but not for any links to Islamic terrorism.[8] He was released from a secure hospital in October against the recommendation of the office of the public prosecutor, which has now opened an investigation into "attempted murder with a terrorist motive".[4] The suspect had previously tried to kill a prison guard.[9]
On 23 November, via a warrant issued for "murder and acts of terrorism", police searched the home of a friend of the suspect.[10]