Four Dead After Explosions In Belgian City

**bb1** Tue Dec 13, 2011 8:02 pm

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16129412

6:43pm UK, Tuesday December 13, 2011
At least four people have died and dozens are injured after a man fired shots and threw hand grenades in the Belgian city of Liege, police have said.

The victims were two male teenagers, aged 15 and 17, a 75-year-old woman, and the assailant himself, named as Nordine Amrani, 32.
Police told reporters at a press conference that the attacker had been due to report to them concerning an incident he had been involved in.
However, instead he climbed onto a city centre rooftop in Place Saint-Lambert, fired shots at passers-by and threw three hand grenades into the shopping street below.
A police spokeswoman said: "At no point during the legal matters with this person had we picked up anything to suggest this kind of incident.
"We are of course very saddened by these events."

Around 75 people are believed to be injured.
Initial witness reports said up to three men threw up to four grenades at a bus station.
The aftermath of the attacks was chaotic and reports of events were conflicting.
One witness told RTL TV he heard three "large explosions" and then a series of shots ringing out.
He said: "There were sounds of gunfire and then everyone scattered.
"I just hid myself...there was total panic."
VRT Radio spoke with Herve Taveirne from the courthouse into which he had fled to escape the gunfire.

"We were in the courthouse building and were just leaving when we saw someone toss a grenade," he said.
"I grabbed a little boy ... and took him back into the courthouse.
"Outside the building I heard shooting ... Our lives were in danger. This man was shooting in any direction. We ran for our lives at that point."
Valerie Schaaps, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, confirmed there had been explosions and gunfire, and that there were injuries.
Commenting on the attack, Foreign Secretary, William Hague said he was "saddened": "There can be absolutely no place for appalling acts of violence such as this in any society, and I condemn this attack in the strongest terms.
"I send my deepest sympathy to the victims of this attack, their families and loved ones.
"The Belgian authorities have our full support as they investigate this incident"

Four Dead After Explosions In Belgian City 626x

Four Dead After Explosions In Belgian City 626x