24 June, 2017
Belgian authorities said they foiled a "terror attack" Tuesday when soldiers shot and killed a suspect after a small explosion at a busy Brussels train station that continued a week of attacks in the capitals of Europe.
A counter-terrorism prosecutor said the man, who a security source named as Oussama Zariouh and was identified officially as O.Z., was a 36-year-old Moroccan citizen. The suspect started running towards the platform causing the panicked people to run to the tracks while others exited the station entirely.
The official also said investigators believe the TATP failed to detonate because of the poor preparation of the explosive, which Belgium's federal prosecutor's office believes was made at the suspect's home.
"(The attack) could have been much worse", Belgian federal prosecutor's spokesman Eric Van Der Sypt said yesterday.
June 21-Belgian police say a man suspected of setting off a small explosion at the Central train station in the capital, Brussels, has died after being shot by soldiers. Meanwhile the bag exploded a second time more violently.
The soldier, part of a routine patrol, shot him several times.
The incident was claimed responsibility for by the Islamic State, by a sleeper cell, the same one who were behind the November 2015 Paris attacks that killed nearly 130 people.
Belgium's national crisis centre said it was keeping the country's terror level at three out of four, adding that there was no immediate information to suggest that another attack was imminent and that it should be raised to the top level. He was not wearing a suicide belt or vest.
"We will not let ourselves be intimidated", Mr Michel said.
Nicolas Van Herreweghen, who works for Belgium's national rail company, said the male suspect was very agitated, yelling about jihadists and then "Allahu akbar", Arabic for "God is great", before blowing up something on a baggage trolley. The suspect first attempted to detonate his bag, setting off a "partial explosion" as he ran toward a group of people in the mezzanine level of the station that descends to the tracks, Van der Sypt said. In March 2016, terrorists affiliated with ISIS carried out a coordinated attack at Brussels Airport in Zaventem and Maalbeek metro station in the city, killing 32 people.
The attack is being treated as a terrorist incident, and anti-terror authorities are heading up the investigation, he said.
Police raided the man's home overnight, Van Der Sypt said.
Events in Brussels including a concert by rock band Coldplay were set to continue, although authorities said there would be extra security and warned people not to bring backpacks.
