Brussels Jewish Museum shooting claims a fourth life

2014-05-25 4,389

A fatal shooting at the Brussels Jewish Museum has claimed a fourth life.

The museum receptionist, a young Belgian in his 20s, was critically injured in the attack. He died on Sunday bringing the death toll to four people.

Police had detained one suspect but he was released and is now considered a witness.

Belgian police have launched a hunt for a man seen on CCTV footage apparently firing a gun at a group of tourists then picking up his bag and walking away.

The Belgian Prime Minister condemned the attack and said Belgium stands united with the Jewish community.

Police around France and Belgium have increased security at synagogues and other Jewish establishments.

Maurice Sosnowski, President of the Coordinating Committee of Belgian Jewish Organisations, said: “The entire federal Belgian state is on alert, in Brussels and elsewhere, because we have no idea of where these murderers are. But it’s a big statement to say that I’m feeling reassured.”

Joel Rubinfeld, President of Belgian League against Anti-semitism said:
“We have to remember that Europe was built on one promise. This promise is, never again.

“And today you have people in the street who want to do one more time. You have people like yesterday, the cold blood killer here in Brussels, two years ago Mohammed Merah in Toulouse,” said Rubinfeld.

Pope Francis on Sunday said he was deeply saddened by the deadly shooting.

It was the first fatal attack on a Jewish centre since the early 1980s in Belgium, home to some 40,000 Jews, roughly half of them in Brussels.