The Islamic State extremist group on Sunday claimed responsibility for a weekend machete attack that wounded two female police officers in the Belgian city of Charleroi, calling it an act of reprisal carried out by one of its “soldiers”.
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Prosecutors searched two houses in Charleroi after the attack but did not provide details.
A third police officer shot the attacker, who later died in a hospital.
Around 4 p.m. a man approached a checkpoint manned by two officers in front of the police headquarters, a Charleroi police spokesman told Belgian television and radio. He had a criminal record but was not known to police for terror-related offenses. Prime Minister Charles Michel didn’t directly confirm the reports.
The 33-year-old Algerian national, identified as K.B., requested a residency permit in 2013 and 2014, and both applications were rejected, Belgian media reported on Monday.
Some of those attacks were linked to terrorist motives.
Forced returns to Algeria are “problematic”, despite years of negotiations, Francken said in the statement.
“We maintain cool heads and blood”, added the premier, who said unspecified measures would be taken to bolster security for police while noting that Belgium was confronting a similar threat to that faced by its European neighbours.
Belgium raised its terror alert to the highest level following the March terrorist attacks on Brussels’ main global airport and on a subway station that killed 35 people and injured over 300.
Saturday’s attack has increased pressure on the Belgian police, who have been on high alert since the attacks in Paris last November guarding infrastructure and soft targets like concerts and sports events.
Belgium’s unit for terror threat analysis coordination said it would keep the alert level unchanged at level three on a scale of four, meaning an attack is “possible and likely”.
Michel meanwhile praised “the exceptional courage of the policewomen who suffered this serious attack” and “did what they had to and doubtless thereby prevented an even greater tragedy”.
Michel also said that they have staged numerous security forces in Brussels, the home of the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, since they view it as the main target.
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Michel said the prosecutors were treating the attack on the officers as a case of “attempted terrorist murder”.
