17 October 2023
The European Parliament has paid tribute to the victims of the attack in which a man claiming to be a member of Islamic State shot dead two Swedish citizens and injured a third in the centre of Brussels yesterday. Speaking in plenary, Charlie Weimers, head of the Swedish delegation to the ECR and vice-president of the group, said:
“Madame President,
yesterday, two of my compatriots were murdered on the streets of Brussels, simply for being Swedish. Our thoughts and prayers go to the victims and their families. But, Mme President, condolences alone is not enough.
The terrorist was a Tunisian national who resided in Belgium illegally. Just as the Uzbek terrorist in Stockholm who killed five persons in 2017. Two weeks ago, some colleagues laughed when I made the connection between illegal migration and violence. For the sake of our citizens, illegal migration to Europe must end.
The terrorist shared disinformation claiming that Sweden kidnaps Muslim children. This is an Islamist campaign that has been ongoing since 2019. It has been amplified by Islamist organizations in Europe.
For the sake of citizens, EU financing of Islamist organisations must end.
Madame President,
the European complacency in the face of Islamism must end. Right here. Right now.”
Source – ECR Group