Friday 03 September 2010
19:53

30 October 2009 14:21

BRUSSELS -  An Iranian inmate stabbed two guards and three fellow prisoners with scissors in a Belgian prison before being shot dead by police early on Friday.

The 35-year-old man flew into a rage after learning he would be punished for an earlier transgression at the jail in Leuven, which is about 25 km (15 miles) east of Brussels.

He stabbed a female guard and a fellow prisoner who sought to intervene, both of whom were critically injured in the attack that began around 7 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Thursday, Leuven prosecutors said.

Another guard and prisoner were also attacked before the man and an accomplice took another prisoner hostage in a cell.

Police special forces stormed the cell after midnight and shot the man dead. The hostage, whom he had just started to stab, was seriously injured.

The 21-year-old accomplice was taken away by police.

Belgian media reported the Iranian inmate had been sentenced to 22 years prison in 2008 for the attempted murder of a doctor. He felt felt the doctor had not treated him sufficiently.