Brussels, 5 January 2024
EN
E-003116/2023
Answer given by Ms Johansson
on behalf of the European Commission
(5.1.2024)
On 16 October 2023, an individual killed two Swedish persons and wounded a third one in Brussels using a long firearm. A few hours before the terrorist attack, the perpetrator published a video on his social media, where he announced the intention to commit a terrorist attack and confirmed his allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist organisation. The day after, the terrorist was neutralised by the Belgian police at the moment of his arrest.
So far, the only information disclosed by the Belgian authorities on the firearm used in the attack is the arrest of a person suspected of supplying firearms to the attacker on 25 October 2023. According to the videos and pictures available in social media1, the Commission can assess that the long firearm used is not an Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK-47) automatic rifle model but another automatic or semi-automatic model. The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation is in contact with the Belgian authorities and supports the investigations, including measures to establish the full traceability of the firearm used in the attack.
The Commission has no record of serious threats against the institution, nor has it received such information from its security and intelligence partners. However, in the current international context, the Commission remains vigilant and closely monitors all relevant indicators.
1 https://www.sudinfo.be/id732108/article/2023-10-18/lar-15-du-terroriste-nest-pas-le-type-darme-utilise-dansle-milieu-criminel; https://www.lesoir.be/544295/article/2023-10-18/lar-15-de-lauteur-de-lattentat-de-bruxellesenigme-autour-dune-arme-rare