ISIS fanatic who killed two Swedish football fans in Brussels was 'never the same' after seeing Koran burnings and asked his parents if they wanted him to become a martyr for jihad, his mother reveals
An illegal migrant ISIS fanatic who shot dead two football fans in Brussels spoke to his parents about carrying out 'jihad'. Known terror Abdesalem Lassoued, an illegal migrant ISIS fanatic who killed two Swedish football fans in Brussels, Belgium, was reportedly speaking to his parents about carrying out 'jihad' and asking them if they wanted him to die as a martyr for jihad. His mother, AbDesalem, revealed that her son had mentioned the Koran burnings in Sweden in phone calls and had asked his father if he wanted his son to die. The suspected terrorist, who was killed by Belgian police after he killed two football fans with an automatic rifle, targeted the two Swedes in their 60s and 70s due to the burning of the Koran in Stockholm. The automatic rifle used to kill the two Swedish fans was also found on LASSoued's person. The attacker's wife fled with her daughter, not her real name, fearing her husband would return home, before they shot down the Tunisian national. A third person, a taxi driver, was seriously wounded in the attack. In response to the attack, Belgian authorities raised the terror alert for Brussels to level four or ‘very serious’ - and level three nationally - following the shooting. The suspect was convicted in Tunisia for common law offences but not reported for a terrorist risk.
Published : 2 years ago by shalw in Sports Entertainment
An illegal migrant ISIS fanatic who shot dead two football fans in Brussels spoke to his parents about carrying out ‘jihad’.
Known terror suspect Abdesalem Lassoued, 45, was killed by Belgian police after he killed two Swedish football fans with an automatic rifle on Tuesday.
It has been detailed that Lassoued targeted the two Swedes in their 60s and 70s because of the burning of the Koran which took place in Stockholm in recent months.
Abdesalem Lassoued, the mother of the suspected terrorist, told Tunisian television channel Hannibal her son had mentioned the Koran burnings in Sweden in phone calls.
It is alleged he also spoke about carrying out ‘jihad’ and asked his father if he wanted his son to die as a martyr, according to Sveriges Radio.
They reported that Abdesalem said her son was ‘never the same’ after the Koran burnings and that she and her husband were ‘shocked and sad’ about what happened.
The terror suspect’s wife ‘Yasmina’, not her real name, fled with her daughter on Monday out of fear her husband would come home, taking refuge with the police and telling them all she could – before they shot down the Tunisian national on Tuesday morning.
An ambulance was later seen taking a wounded Lassoued to hospital, while his scooter he is said to have used to flee the terror attack, was towed away.
The automatic rifle that Lassoued had used to kill the two Swedish football fans was also found on his person.
Lassoued opened fire on a group of Swedish football fans in a taxi as they passed through Boulevard d’Ypres just a few minutes north of the city’s famous Grand Plaza ahead of Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Sweden.
Several people fled into an apartment building after hearing the gunshots, but Lassoued followed them and opened fire again in the entrance hall in an attack he said was to avenge the killing of a six-year-old US-Palestinian boy.
Disturbing video shows the attacker on a motorbike stalking people and shooting them, with other images circulating online showing the body of one person inside a taxi.
Dramatic video later appeared to show the gunman, who was dressed in a fluorescent orange jacket, fleeing on a motorbike while being tailed by a member of the public.
Prime Minister Alexander de Croo earlier said ‘the terrorist attack’ was ‘committed with total cowardice, the attacker chose as a target two Swedish football fans, adding that a third person – a taxi driver – was seriously wounded.
‘Terrorism strikes indiscriminately,’ he said. ‘It aims to sow fear, mistrust and division in our free societies. Terrorists must know that they will never achieve their goals.
‘They will never make us bend. Their hatred and violence only prove their powerlessness.’
Sweden expressed its devastation over the shooting and European leaders were quick to offer their solidarity.
In response to the attack, Belgian authorities raised the terror alert for Brussels to level four or ‘very serious’ – the highest – and level three nationally.
Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne said Lassoued, an asylum seeker, was convicted in Tunisia ‘for common law offences’, but was not reported for a terrorist risk.
The attacker, who unsuccessfully sought asylum in Belgium in November 2019, was known to police in connection with people smuggling and illegal residence, Quickenborne added.
Prosecutors said the attacker in his video had indicated the Swedish nationality of his victims was a motivation, but there appeared to be no links with the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.
In August, the Scandinavian country raised its terrorist alert to the second highest level, warning of an increase in threats against Swedish interests also abroad, after Koran burnings and other acts in Sweden against Islam’s holiest text outraged Muslims and triggered threats from jihadists.
The Swedish government has condemned the burnings and is considering amending laws that could stop them but critics say such moves need to preserve far-reaching freedom of speech.
Topics: Football, Sweden