Bystanders heard the assailant yelling “allahu akbar” during a stabbing incident Tuesday morning in Brussels.
By AP and World Israel News Staff
A policeman was stabbed by an assailant close to the Grand Place in Brussels’ historic center Tuesday morning.
Witnesses heard the attacker yelling “allahu akbar” (Arabic for ‘God is great’) while jumping on two policemen, local newspaper La Derniere reported.
The victim was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries while the attacker was seriously injured.
Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon said Tuesday that the pre-dawn incident was a “cowardly act against our policemen.”
According to Justice Minister Koen Geens, investigators were looking at all possible motivations, including links to extremist groups, but that there the motivation was as yet unclear.
Belgium has been under heightened security since the March 2016 Muslim terror attacks at Brussels’ airport and subway that left 32 people dead.