Belgian police have arrested a man of Palestinian origin after media reports that he threatened to “die as a martyr by exploding himself”, the Brussels prosecutor's office has told The National.
“The federal police will be checking his identity,” they said.
He is reportedly an asylum seeker who was apprehended in the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht.
Belgian news agency Belga reported that the man, who has not been publicly identified, told immigration services on Tuesday that he wanted to die after learning that his entire family had been killed in Israeli bombardments of the Gaza Strip.
“He was immediately signalled at a national level, triggering a manhunt by police units across the country,” reported Belga.
The incident suggests tensions remain high across Belgium, nine days after a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia, Abdelsalam Lassoued, gunned down two Swedes in Brussels before being shot and killed by police.
Lassoued said he was inspired by Islamic State, which later claimed the attack, and cited his anger at controversial Quran burnings in Sweden as one of the reasons for the murders.
But Belgian investigators have not excluded that he may have also been triggered by the Israel-Gaza war.
The incident caused shock waves across Belgium after it emerged that Tunisia had requested the extradition of Lassoued in August 2022 but a Belgian judge had failed to follow up on the demand.
Justice Minister Vincent van Quickenborne resigned on Friday, citing an “inexcusable error.”
A lack of communication between Belgian agencies and with police in Sweden, where Lassoued had been jailed previously, also enabled him to stay in Belgium illegally after his asylum request was denied in 2020.
On Tuesday charged two men were charged in France over suspected links to the shooting.
Wednesday's manhunt came on the eve of the two-day European Union summit in Brussels, where the 27 EU leaders will discuss, among other things, the Israel-Gaza war.
EU leaders are expected to call for a “humanitarian pause” in the Gaza strip, where 6,546 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, according to the health ministry, after an unprecedented Hamas attack killed more than 1,400 Israelis on October 7.
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
All Blacks line-up for third Test
J Barrett; I Dagg, A Lienert-Brown, N Laumape, J Savea; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt).
Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea, TJ Perenara, A Cruden, M Fekitoa.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
