Two suspects arrested, third released after Antwerp stabbing
Two of the three suspects who remained in custody following a stabbing at Operaplein in Antwerp on Thursday evening have been arrested by an investigating judge on suspicion of attempted murder. The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office confirmed this on Saturday. The third suspect has been released due to a lack of evidence.
The two arrested suspects are men aged 33 and 18. They were detained shortly after the incident on Thursday, along with two other individuals. One of those suspects was released on Friday, while another was released on Saturday.
Six people were injured in the stabbing, two of whom were in critical condition for a time. The incident took place at the end of a Kurdish demonstration, which had remained peaceful until then. The motive for the attack is still under investigation.
Members of the Kurdish community in Antwerp have raised concerns about a possible terrorist motive. Witnesses reported that the perpetrators were carrying the new Syrian flag and shouting Islamist slogans. However, the public prosecutor’s office has described a possible terrorist link as “premature.”
In response, police have increased their vigilance in Antwerp and are maintaining heightened surveillance, including the use of cameras. Additional security measures are also in place ahead of a new demonstration planned for Saturday afternoon by the Kurdish community, which is protesting the violence that has recently flared up in northern Syria.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO NICOLAS LANDEMARD
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