Shortly before the claim, Belgian prosecutors identified the assailant as a 33-year-old Algerian national, K.B., who had lived in Belgium since 2012, saying that he may have been inspired by terrorism.
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Islamic State claims responsibility for machete attack in Belgium was posted in World of TheNews International – https://www.thenews.com.pk on August 07, 2016 and was last updated on August 07, 2016.
The bloody incident took place outside a police station in Charleroi, 60 kilometres (40 miles) south of Brussels, where the officers were on guard.
“Since there are indications that the attack may have been inspired by a terrorist motive, the federal prosecutor’s office made a decision to take over the investigation from the district prosecutor’s office of Charleroi”, the federal office said in a statement.
Quoting an unidentified source, Amaq described him as a “soldier” who acted “in response to calls to target citizens” of countries in the US-led coalition bombing IS in Syria and Iraq.
Tensions have been high in Brussels since terror attacks killed 31 people and wounded 300 others in March.
According to RTBF state broadcasting, one officer suffered severe injuries to her face while her colleague was slightly injured.
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for Saturday’s machete attack in Belgium. The assailant was shot by police and and confirmed dead.
“I repeat my message that we must keep a cool head”.
The language was almost identical to other claims of responsibility issued by the IS for other attacks in recent weeks, including an axe attack by an Afghan refugee in Wuerzburg, Germany, and the killing of a priest in the Normandy region of France.
However Belgium is increasing security at police stations after Saturday’s attack, Prime Minister Charles Michel told a press conference on Sunday.
“We know we must be constantly, constantly vigilant”, Michel said.
Defense Minister Steven Vandeput said the government’s Crisis Center would meet to determine if additional measures should be taken to protect police buildings and staff.
Both officers are now “out of danger”, Charleroi police announced today evening on Twitter.
Prosecutors said KB was carrying a backpack at the time of the attack, but that a bomb squad search found no explosives or other weapons inside.
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The prime minister said it was important to be “extremely prudent” in jumping to conclusions.
