Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called on the European Union to bolster border controls and internal security after a gunman killed two Swedes in Brussels on Monday.
A 45-year-old Tunisian terror suspect opened fire and killed two Swedish football fans. He died on Tuesday after being shot by police in a cafe.
Footage shared online showed a man dressed in an orange jacket unloading several shots, using a large weapon. The bearded man was reportedly seen leaving the crime scene on a scooter.
After the shooting suspect Abdesalem Lassoued posted a video on Facebook about the killings, claiming he was a member of Islamic State (IS) and had killed “three Swedes so far”.
“All indications are that this is a terror attack aimed at Sweden and Swedish citizens only due to them being Swedish,” Kristersson told a news conference.
Sweden raised its terror alert to its second-highest level in August after Koran burnings and other acts in Sweden against Islam’s holiest text outraged Muslims and the government warned that the country had become a priority target among jihadists.
Sweden’s embassies urged nationals to exercise increased vigilance abroad while Swedes at home voiced concerns about safety.