March 26, 2007	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 6, 1428

BRUSSELS: Armed robbers stole 820,000 euros ($1.1 million) from a casino in Brussels early on Sunday, authorities said. The robbery took less than five minutes, prosecutor Eric Dehon said, adding that no one had been injured in the heist.

Shortly after 4:00 am (0200 GMT), four men dressed in black and wearing hoods entered the casino in the centre of Brussels brandishing handguns and rifles, including one machine gun. While two of them stood guard over the dozen or so people still in the casino, two others emptied cash registers and a safe.

They then fled in what may have been a stolen taxi that appeared to be driven by a fifth accomplice, according to a preliminary investigation.—AFP