One person hurled the device into the building. Local investigators believe the arson attack may have been an attempt to destroy evidence held in the building. The vehicle was torched by the attackers.
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The criminology institute, which is affiliated to the country’s federal justice body, is located in the Neder-Over-Heembeek district of Brussels.
The prosecutor’s office described the incident as much more likely to be an arson attack created to destroy criminal evidence.
“It’s probably not terrorism”. “I can not confirm that there was any bomb”.
State broadcaster RTBF reported that a vehicle forced its way into the site “before exploding a bomb” early on Monday.
“The building is not yet safe to enter, Ms. Van Wymersch said, so it was not possible to fully dismiss reports a bomb had exploded”.
“The explosion was very violent”, says Pierre Meys.
A young woman living in the neighborhood said she was awakened by the explosion. “The lab’s windows were ejected several tens of meters”.
Some 30 firefighters helped put out the resulting fire. The Islamic State group had claimed responsibility for the attack.
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Bilal Hadfi, who blew himself up outside the Stade de France during last November’s Paris attacks, lived in the suburb. Three attackers also died in the twin assaults at the Brussels airport and metro system. Abdeslam was captured in Brussels on March 18.
