(Francois Lenoir/Reuters)
A man placing flowers at the entrance of a nursery in which the knife attack occurred in Dendermonde on Friday.By Stephen Castle
International Herald Tribune
DENDERMONDE, Belgium: An attacker with a knife brought horror to this quiet Belgian town on Friday, killing two children under the age of three and one of their caregivers after tricking his way into a day-care center - then escaping on a bicycle.
In a frenzied attack for which a motive has yet to be established, the man, aged from 20 to 25 and wearing a bullet-proof vest, stabbed his victims after telling staff at the day-care center that he had a question for them, said Paul Putteman, chief of police in the village of Dendermonde.
Belgium has been traumatized by several high-profile child abductions and murders over the last 15 years, but the attack on the day-care center in the Sint-Gilles area has left the city in shock.
One of those who arrived shortly after the assailant fled described a scene of carnage.
"It was a catastrophe. People were screaming and crying, there was blood everywhere, babies were crying" said Theo Janssens, a social worker who was one the scene within five minutes. "People had children in their arms, they were bleeding. One of the children was already dead, another was in a bad situation," Janssens said. "And there was an adult - I think immediately dead."...(Click for remainder).
International Herald Tribune
DENDERMONDE, Belgium: An attacker with a knife brought horror to this quiet Belgian town on Friday, killing two children under the age of three and one of their caregivers after tricking his way into a day-care center - then escaping on a bicycle.
In a frenzied attack for which a motive has yet to be established, the man, aged from 20 to 25 and wearing a bullet-proof vest, stabbed his victims after telling staff at the day-care center that he had a question for them, said Paul Putteman, chief of police in the village of Dendermonde.
Belgium has been traumatized by several high-profile child abductions and murders over the last 15 years, but the attack on the day-care center in the Sint-Gilles area has left the city in shock.
One of those who arrived shortly after the assailant fled described a scene of carnage.
"It was a catastrophe. People were screaming and crying, there was blood everywhere, babies were crying" said Theo Janssens, a social worker who was one the scene within five minutes. "People had children in their arms, they were bleeding. One of the children was already dead, another was in a bad situation," Janssens said. "And there was an adult - I think immediately dead."...(Click for remainder).
UPDATE
No answers from accused assailant in Belgium
(Yves Herman/Reuters)
People crying during a march to pay tribute to the victims of a knife attack in a creche in Dendermonde on Sunday.By Stephen Castle
International Herald Tribune
BRUSSELS: Two days after the stabbing deaths of a 9-month-old girl, a 6-month-old boy and a 54-year-old child care worker, the 20-year-old man charged with the crimes was refusing Sunday to explain the frenzied attack on a day care center that has traumatized this town and shocked the nation.
But here in Belgium, the news media have dubbed the assailant the "Joker killer." Newspaper and television reports have said that the unemployed man under arrest was inspired by the character of the "Joker" in the most recent Batman movie and that he was planning to attack at least one more nursery.
The authorities have identified the accused man only as Kim D., though the media here have named him. The police said he had remained uncommunicative through at least four hours of interrogation.
His thin, pale face - framed by long, black hair - stares out from a variety of Web sites, in some cases juxtaposed with images of the Joker character portrayed by Heath Ledger in the Batman movie released last year.
In the small town of Dendermonde, north of Brussels, about 6,000 people attended a march and vigil Sunday for the victims....(Click for remainder).
International Herald Tribune
BRUSSELS: Two days after the stabbing deaths of a 9-month-old girl, a 6-month-old boy and a 54-year-old child care worker, the 20-year-old man charged with the crimes was refusing Sunday to explain the frenzied attack on a day care center that has traumatized this town and shocked the nation.
But here in Belgium, the news media have dubbed the assailant the "Joker killer." Newspaper and television reports have said that the unemployed man under arrest was inspired by the character of the "Joker" in the most recent Batman movie and that he was planning to attack at least one more nursery.
The authorities have identified the accused man only as Kim D., though the media here have named him. The police said he had remained uncommunicative through at least four hours of interrogation.
His thin, pale face - framed by long, black hair - stares out from a variety of Web sites, in some cases juxtaposed with images of the Joker character portrayed by Heath Ledger in the Batman movie released last year.
In the small town of Dendermonde, north of Brussels, about 6,000 people attended a march and vigil Sunday for the victims....(Click for remainder).
