(AP) Belgian authorities said Friday that the lone assailant who killed one police officer and wounded another in a stabbing attack had been on a counterterrorism list of potential extremists.
The Belgian suspect, who had served six years in prison for common-law crimes, had gone to a police station early Thursday to express hatred for them, but couldn’t be arrested before he launched his stabbing attack on two police officers that evening.
“The man was on the list of OCAD,” said federal prosecution magistrate Eric Van Der Sypt, referring to the organization that assesses the terrorism threats in Belgium.
Van der Sypt said the suspect shouted “Allahu akbar,” the Arabic phrase for “God is great,” during the stabbing attack, which occurred around the usually busy Brussels Nord station just after evening rush hour.
