Gunman Runs Barricades At Belgian Military Base, Shots Fired, Explosives Found

Belgian Military Base
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A car driven by a would-be gunman has run a barricade at a Belgian military base, with local news agencies claiming that shots have been fired. Unconfirmed reports suggest that explosives have been found.

The incident is believed to have taken place at Flawinne, a village the Belgian province of Namur, at a military base that houses around 640 paratroopers of the Belgian army.

According to the Belgian press, no one has been injured, but the car was found abandoned and the alleged gunman is currently still at large.

Speculation is arising as to whether the attack is Islamist terror-related, especially given Belgium’s status as the highest provider of ISIS recruits per capita.

According to the BBC, the gunman was masked, and the bomb squad is on the scene, as well as a massive police presence.

The incident is believed to have taken place at around 9am local time, or 8am GMT.

The Guardian notes: “Four people were killed in a gun attack on a Jewish museum in Brussels last May. A 29-year-old man arrested in connection with that incident, Mehdi Nemmouche, is believed to have spent over a year in Syria. Police officers reportedly found a short video featuring the flag of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant in his luggage.”

Belgium’s DH.be website states: “The car, a Ford Escort, was found in Belgrade, near Flawinne. The vehicle owner has already been identified, which does not mean that he was behind the wheel. According to our information, the vehicle owner is in Namur. The question is whether the car in question was stolen in the morning or not. In addition, the Namur police school was evacuated.”

 

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