FOUR PEOPLE died and scores were injured in a grenade and machine-gun attack on a crowded shopping area in the Belgian city of Liège.
Eyewitnesses spoke of bloodshed, panic and distress in the city’s main square as Nordine Amrani, a 33-year-old local man with a criminal record, threw three bombs and opened fire on people waiting for a bus.
The city was busy with midday Christmas shoppers. Two male youths aged 15 and 17 and a 75-year-old woman died from their injuries, said local prosecutor Danielle Reynders. Amrani died by his own hand, she added, but it was unclear whether he planned to take his own life.
Zack Nasri, an 18-year-old student, described a chaotic situation as the attack continued. Two sustained bursts of automatic gunfire were audible on a video captured on his mobile phone. “The attack had already started when we arrived. We had to run. People were running towards us as they fled. The police were running too,” he said.
The attack happened at about 12.30pm. “We just arrived here and five minutes later I heard three loud bangs followed by something that seemed like shooting with a machine gun,” said Marc Smeyers, a shopfitter in his 50s, who was working within metres of the attack.
“After the three bangs and the shots everything came running in this direction. Two minutes later it seemed everything was okay and they all went back. Again, two minutes later they returned running, and again police came to tell us that we have to evacuate.”
Amrani had been known to police for years and had served a 58-month sentence for drug and arms offences. According to Ms Reynders he had associations with the vice and stolen-goods trades.
Recently out of prison on temporary release, Amrani missed an appointment with his case officer in a local police station yesterday morning. Ms Reynders said he left his home in the city carrying weapons and explosives in a bag. When next seen he was throwing grenades at Place Saint Lambert, near the main bus hub and within sight of the city courthouse.
Terrified commuters took shelter in shops. There were reports that police were pursuing as many as three accomplices, and locals were warned to stay indoors and not to venture into the city centre. By mid-afternoon they had concluded that Amrani was acting alone.
Ms Reynders said: “We cannot explain to you why this has happened. He was never charged before with a terrorist act . . . I have a sense of sadness at the end of the day.”
King Albert II and Belgian prime minister Elio di Rupo visited Liège.
“It’s terrible what has happened. There are no words for this tragedy. The whole country shares in the pain,” Mr di Rupo said.