Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne resigned after a Tunisian shot and killed two football fans in Brussels, saying a judicial lapse that allowed the man to stay in the country was an “unforgivable” error.
(Bloomberg) — Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne resigned after a Tunisian shot and killed two football fans in Brussels, saying a judicial lapse that allowed the man to stay in the country was an “unforgivable” error.
Van Quickenborne announced his resignation Friday evening after an investigation into the Oct. 16 attack revealed Tunisia had asked for the extradition of the attacker, who was illegally in Belgium, in August 2022. Belgian authorities hadn’t complied with the request.
“It got overlooked,” Van Quickenborne said in a statement. “That is a big mistake. That is an unforgivable mistake. That is a mistake with dramatic consequences.”
Read more: Suspect Killed After Shooting Swedish Football Fans in Brussels
The attacker, whose request for asylum was rejected in 2020, was known to the police and had been imprisoned in Sweden. Before the latest revelations, the Belgian government demanded severe consequences for countries of origin that don’t cooperate with the return of their citizens.
Van Quickenborne said he was taking political responsibility for the authorities’ shortcomings. “I am not looking to make excuses, I think it’s my duty to do this,” he said.
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