3 killed at Jewish museum in Belgium

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Three people were killed and one seriously injured in a spree of gunfire at the Jewish Museum in Brussels on Saturday, officials said.

The attack, which came on the eve of national and European parliament elections, led officials to raise antiterrorism measures. Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo immediately expressed support for the Jewish community.

"All Belgians are united," he said.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, who was in the vicinity, said the scene "was terrible and left me shocked" as he saw two of the three dead lying at the entry of the museum, in the swanky Sablon section.

Reynders added that "you cannot help to think that when we see a Jewish museum, you think of an anti-Semitic act. But the investigation will have to show the causes."

Interior Minister Joelle Milquet told reporters that the shooter apparently parked a car outside before entering the Jewish Museum. She added the gunman "apparently fired rather quickly, went outside, and left."

Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur said police had a good lead for a suspect, but refused to elaborate.

Milquet said antiterror measures were immediately heightened. "We decided to apply to a maximum level of protection to Jewish sites," she said.

European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor said that, even though it has yet to be established whether the attack was anti-Semitic, "we are acutely aware of the permanent threat to Jewish targets in Belgium and across the whole of Europe."

"European government must send out a clear message of zero tolerance towards any manifestation of anti-Semitism," Kantor said in a statement.