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| Liege attack: Belgian police find body at killer's home | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police in Belgium have discovered a woman's body at the home of a gunman who went on the rampage in the city of Liege, killing four people and himself. | |
| The body was found in a shed at Nordine Amrani's property, a justice official told Belgian radio. | |
| Amrani launched his attack with guns and hand grenades in a busy marketplace in Liege on Tuesday, causing panic among Christmas shoppers. | |
| Nearly 125 people were wounded, some critically. | |
| Belgian media reports say the body found at the killer's property was that of a 45 year-old cleaner, who worked for one of Amrani's neighbours. | |
| "It was found in a shed which he used, notably to grow cannabis," Liege's prosecutor general, Cedric Visart de Bocarme, told Belgian public radio, RTBF. | |
| The authorities are trying to determine what motivated Mr Amrani to go on his killing spree. | |
| Police have said he was known to them for previous drugs and firearms offences and acted alone in the attack. | Police have said he was known to them for previous drugs and firearms offences and acted alone in the attack. |
| Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo said it had been "an isolated case". | Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo said it had been "an isolated case". |
| The city is to hold a minute's silence and a vigil at midday on Wednesday, the AFP news agency reports. | The city is to hold a minute's silence and a vigil at midday on Wednesday, the AFP news agency reports. |
| A 17-month-old girl became the fourth victim late on Tuesday, dying in hospital despite undergoing hours of emergency treatment. | A 17-month-old girl became the fourth victim late on Tuesday, dying in hospital despite undergoing hours of emergency treatment. |
| Belgium's Home Affairs Minister Joelle Milquet said four people remained in a critical condition. | Belgium's Home Affairs Minister Joelle Milquet said four people remained in a critical condition. |
| Warnings missed? | Warnings missed? |
| The BBC's Matthew Price, in Liege, says the central Place Saint-Lambert, where the attack took place, has been re-opened to the public, but blood stains, shattered glass and bullet marks remain. | |
| Officials have ruled out organised political terrorism or a known mental illness as Amrani's motives but have yet to determine why he opened fire. | Officials have ruled out organised political terrorism or a known mental illness as Amrani's motives but have yet to determine why he opened fire. |
| They will now need to examine whether there was anything to indicate in advance that he might have posed a danger to the public, says our correspondent. | They will now need to examine whether there was anything to indicate in advance that he might have posed a danger to the public, says our correspondent. |
| Amrani, a resident of Liege, had been jailed for 58 months in September 2008 for possessing firearms and drugs, media reports said. | Amrani, a resident of Liege, had been jailed for 58 months in September 2008 for possessing firearms and drugs, media reports said. |
| Officials did not confirm this, but said they were aware he had spent some time in prison. | Officials did not confirm this, but said they were aware he had spent some time in prison. |
| "At no moment in any of the judicial proceedings against him was there a sign of unbalance," Daniele Reynders, the public prosecutor for Liege, told reporters. | "At no moment in any of the judicial proceedings against him was there a sign of unbalance," Daniele Reynders, the public prosecutor for Liege, told reporters. |
| Amrani is reported to have been on parole and on Tuesday, had been asked to attend a police station for an interview in connection with charges against him. | Amrani is reported to have been on parole and on Tuesday, had been asked to attend a police station for an interview in connection with charges against him. |
| Instead, he took an assault rifle, revolver and hand grenades into the busy town centre square, close to the courthouse. | Instead, he took an assault rifle, revolver and hand grenades into the busy town centre square, close to the courthouse. |
| At around midday, he threw three grenades at people waiting for buses then opened fire, sending hundreds of people fleeing in panic. | At around midday, he threw three grenades at people waiting for buses then opened fire, sending hundreds of people fleeing in panic. |
| "He wanted to hurt as many people as possible," journalist Nicolas Gilenne told AFP. "I heard four explosions and shots during about 10 seconds." | "He wanted to hurt as many people as possible," journalist Nicolas Gilenne told AFP. "I heard four explosions and shots during about 10 seconds." |
| A 15-year-old boy died instantly, while a 17-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman died later in hospital. | A 15-year-old boy died instantly, while a 17-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman died later in hospital. |
| One official told AFP that a Christmas market was meant to be taking place in the square that day but its opening had been postponed because of bad weather. | One official told AFP that a Christmas market was meant to be taking place in the square that day but its opening had been postponed because of bad weather. |
| "Otherwise many more would have died," said the official. | "Otherwise many more would have died," said the official. |
| Amrani died at the scene, but officials said he had not been shot by police. Some witnesses said he had shot himself in the head. | Amrani died at the scene, but officials said he had not been shot by police. Some witnesses said he had shot himself in the head. |
| Mr di Rupo, who has only been in office since last week, said there were "no words to describe this tragedy". | Mr di Rupo, who has only been in office since last week, said there were "no words to describe this tragedy". |
| "The whole country shares the pain of the families affected. We share the shock of the population," he said as he visited the square. | "The whole country shares the pain of the families affected. We share the shock of the population," he said as he visited the square. |
| But he said: "This is an isolated case. This is not about terrorism." | But he said: "This is an isolated case. This is not about terrorism." |
| Belgium's King Albert and Queen Paola II also visited Place Saint-Lambert on Tuesday evening to pay their respects. | Belgium's King Albert and Queen Paola II also visited Place Saint-Lambert on Tuesday evening to pay their respects. |
| Liege's mayor Willy Demeyer, said the attack had "sown sorrow in the heart of the city". | Liege's mayor Willy Demeyer, said the attack had "sown sorrow in the heart of the city". |
| Are you in Liege? Did you witness anything? Have you been affected by the attack? Send us your comments and experiences. |