December 24, 2022
4.30pm
Two members of the Belgian Air Force have been arrested in the heart of Brussels’ European quarter after opening fire near the headquarters of the European Commission. The incident took place last Saturday, a spokesman for the Brussels prosecutor’s office announced, Politico reported.
Witnesses on the spot said that the arrests took place in the immediate vicinity of the headquarters of the European Commission, in via Archimede, in an apartment located near the Berlemont café, a favorite place for employees of the European institutions.
“The two people were arrested, questioned by the police and then released,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman could not confirm the origin of the said ammunition. He said: The investigation is ongoing.
According to the Flemish newspaper Newsblad, residents of the area saw the two men shooting from an open window and called the police. The weapons turned out to be air pistols, police said. But during the search, police found more than 200 cartridges intended for assault rifles used by the Belgian armed forces.
In a statement to Politico, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder said she would not make specific statements about the case, as it is currently being investigated by both her ministry and the judicial services.
In recent years, the Belgian army has repeatedly come under severe criticism due to the illegal actions of some of its members or their links with far-right groups, Politico also stressed, BTA reported.
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