Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Belgium Grenade Attack by Muslim[s]: 4 Dead, 75 wounded

The Telegraph notes that "the attacks are getting remarkably little coverage in the US..... The news channels are largely ignoring it in favour of the Penn State hearings, while the New York Times and Washington Post have only very small stories on their web frontpages."
Original reports said that the attack was outside the main courthouse. Subsequent news reports are saying the attack took place in a busy Christmas shopping square filled with people.
It is unclear if it was one assailant or more. Myriad news outlets report this:
"several men have thrown grenades and fired on a crowd at a bus stop in Liege, injuring dozens, including a 2-year-old girl, and leaving at least two people dead. One of the dead is a suspected attacker, who was reportedly shot dead by police, although some Belgian media reports say he committed suicide. A second suspect has been arrested, and a third remains on the loose."
Belgian news site Lesoir.be has identified the suspected attacker who died as Nordine Amrani, an author who was previously sentenced to 58 months in prison for possession of weapons and cultivation of cannabis plants.

Belgian news site HLN.be reports that three armed men escaped from the city courthouse just before the attack. Pakistan’s Karachi Post claims the attack was linked to a sentence in an honor killing case.  It said the family members of Sadia Sheikh were sentenced Monday when a bomb alert went off in court. (more here)
16.27 Still confusion over whether the Liege gunman committed suicide or died by accident:
Twitter #Liege: police still inquiring if the attacker committed suicide. No confirmation still
16.09 Officials now say Amrani was on his way for police questioning when he launched the attack.
Liege Prosecutor Danielle Reynders said the attack, in which the man lobbed three grenades and opened fire, resulted in the deaths of the gunman and three other people - a 15-year-old boy, a 17-year-old girl and a 75-year-old woman. Seventy-five people were wounded. La Libre Belgique newspaper reported that a 2-year-old girl was clinging to life.
Officials say he had more grenades with him.
16.00 Officials say Liege gunman had criminal record involving guns, drugs and sex offenses
15.59 Tributes to the dead in Liege continue to pour in on twitter:
Twitter MY thoughts and prayers go out to the people Belgian city of Liege such sad news that people have loss there lives and many injured... RIP
15.43 Prosecutor Daniele Reynders said the gunman, Nordine Amrani, was among the four dead, along with a 15-year-old who died instantly, and a 17-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman who died later in hospital.
Jihadwatch: "Belgium grenade attack leaves at least two dead," from the Telegraph, December 13 (thanks to Mick):
At least one person was killed and up to 47 others wounded Tuesday when up to four grenades exploded outside the main courthouse in the eastern Belgian city of Liege. The attack took place around noon on Saint-Lambert square, home to the town's courthouse and located near a busy Christmas market, Belga news agency said.
A two-year-old child is reportedly fighting for life in hospital. Six other victims are said to be gravely injured.
Shots were fired across the square by gunmen posted on the rooftop of a bakery shop, with further shots heard later from across town.
Police cordoned off the square and gave chase to the assailants, one of whom was reportedly killed. The gunmen are thought to be hiding in Liege cathedral.
The Karachi Post in Pakistan claimed that the attack was linked to a sentence in an honour killing case. It said the parents of Sadia Sheikh were sentenced on Monday when there had been a bomb alert in the court.
Gaspard Grosjean, a journalist for La Meuse Liege on the scene, told The Daily Telegraph there was panic and confusion on the streets of Liege.
"There is at least one dead and the attacker. Police are looking for another shooter. There are lots of ambulances and many casualties - at least 10 people.
"At the moment you can't move in the city centre. People are crying and in shock - they do not know what is going on. Everyone has been told to stay inside and are hiding in shops."...Atlas Shrugs

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