Belgium-Sweden match suspended after two fans were killed by a terrorist

Tonight's qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden in Brussels had a bloody prelude. According to the latest information from the Belgian capital, two Swedish fans were killed when a person opened fire on them from a Kalashnikov while shouting "Allahu akbar". According to local media, he is an Islamic terrorist, most likely a supporter of ISIS. Dressed in a fluorescent orange vest and with a white helmet on his head, he rode his motorcycle to the city center, to a location five kilometers from the stadium, and started a bloody feast there. He first shot someone in the lobby of a nearby hotel, and then shot two people in a taxi. During the shooting, he shouted "Allahu akbar". According to witnesses, he shouted that he was "killing infidels and that he will avenge the lives of Muslims because he lives and dies for his religion." After the shooting, he fled on a motorcycle. A video from the scene also appeared.

He shot three people wearing the symbols of the Swedish national team, two of whom were killed, and the third person was wounded. The terrorist act happened less than an hour before the start of the match, so the organizers probably could not even react and postpone the match or its start. The Belgian police announced that the investigation is ongoing and that the assailant is being sought. But, at the halftime of the game, the Sweden executives decided to stop the game due to these events.

"We have received information about some form of attack and have been called to a meeting with the Belgian police and organizers on site here. Now we are in a situation where we don't know if the match will be finished. Right now we are safe and secure inside the arena. That's why we play football out there“ said the Swedish Football Association's head of security, Martin Fredman, half an hour into the match.

Despite the decision to start the match, it was suspended at half time. Stefan Pettersson, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Stefan Dejemyr and Håkan Sjöstrand from the Swedish Football Association held a crisis meeting and, according to Viaplay, the Swedish players then decided that they did not want to continue playing at halftime.

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Asked why they started the match in the first place, Martin replied:

“You simply don't want Swedes to go out on the town now. It is the mayor together with the police who make this decision. We know the threat that exists against Swedes around the world. It is not new. We follow it from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs every time we travel somewhere“.