Explosions at Brussels Airport - 13 confirmed deaths.

[citizenB]

https://www.rt.com/news/336519-explosions-hit-brussels-airport/

 

Looks nasty.

[HSBCrusher]

I've been watching this unfold.

 

Many injuries and several deaths.

[citizenB]

Apparently there are now reports of the Brussels Metro having been attacked.

[Tawnyowl]

Before the explosions shooting and shouting in Arabic.

Close to American check in desk.

Timed for the busiest time of the day.Many people on business,going on holiday etc.

More bombs found as people were being evacuated.

Another tragic day.Watching things unfold.

Developing situation.

Knew nothing of this till citizenB put this link on.

Terrifying it must be for those in Brussels today.

Just heard on BBC,talking of the Metro.

Fog of war,everything will become clear.Police,cars,army,fire,talk of new explosions on underground.Confusion.

Travel chaos.

[citizenB]

I do wish the reporters would wait until they have information to report on rather than making some of the outrageous speculations !

[citizenB]

 

Now Belgian media is reporting that an explosion has been heard at Maalbeek metro station.

 

Maalbeek is about 400m from the Berlaymont building, which houses the European Commission headquarters.

 

Other reports suggest there were explosions at the Arts-Loi and Schuman stations.

 

The Brussels metro system has been shut down and the country has raised its threat level to 4.

 

 

 

 

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2016/03/22/brussels-airport-blasts-explosions-heard-at-three-metro-stations-5766996/#ixzz43cV3UWSK

[Tawnyowl]

Yes i have heard that as well.

Maelbeek station reportedly hit.Near European Quarter.

Reports of injured being taken on luggage trolleys to ambulances.

Airports across Europe rapidly tightening security.

Airport,rail links,and eurostar affected.

Talking now of suicide bomber.

Coordinated attacks.

Nightmare, possible multiple attacks,some are saying another Paris.

Explosion Metro near EU institutions.

May be many dozens of injured.

Threat level 4, only second time since world war 2-allows Belgium army to organise .

Subway shut.

Developing ongoing situation.

All public buses transport closed.,EU diplomats told to stay put..

Brussels under attack this morning.

[Tawnyowl]

Just putting some links on for anyone .Latest.

CNN

http://www.freeintertv.com/view/id-200

BBC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcnews

[unclebulgaria67]

I have a feeling that there could be attacks like this accross Europe this summer, as the conflict from Iraq/Syria expands.

 

This will not help the referendum on the EU, as some will naturally believe that isolating the UK from mainland Europe would help with security. In reality, you cannot isolate yourself, as terrorists don't recognise borders. The UK relies on having a lot of surveillance and security services acting before attacks happen.

[Filcin]

I can't understand these people, they have to be thick. Surely the gratification of such an act is to see the aftermath of what you have done, suicide bombing makes sure you don't have that pleasure.

 

If they just hang on a few years, there will be enough of them in Europe to be elected to our parliaments. This plays fully into the hands of the right wing parties like the English Defence League making them stronger and stronger.

We have seen that in the recent local elections in Germany.

 

There will be a revolution in the not too distant future and all Muslim will suffer because of a few nutters.

[mmfhater]

The news says there has been another explosion earlyer on making 3 so far

[Tawnyowl]

Brussels attacks: Latest travel advice following blasts at Zaventem airport and Maalbeek Metro station

The Foreign Office is warning British travellers: “Stay away from crowded places and avoid public transport at this time. The Belgian Crisis Centre has given the Belgian telephone number 0032 2753 7300 for concerned family/friends.”

 

The attacks in Brussels have had immediate travel implications.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brussels-attacks-advice-for-travellers-following-blasts-at-zaventem-airport-and-maalbeek-metro-a6945576.html

 

Foreign travel advice

Belgium

Summary

 

Still current at:22 March 2016Updated:22 March 2016Latest update:

Summary - explosions in Brussels on 22 March 2016; you should follow the instructions of the Belgian security authorities; if you’re worried that a relative may have been affected you can call the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 020 7008 0000

There have been explosions at Zaventem International Airport in Brussels on 22 March 2016. There has also been an explosion at Maalbeek station in central Brussels. The airport is currently closed. The Eurostar service to Brussels is not operating at this time. See the Eurostar website for further detail. Public transport in Brussels has been suspended.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/belgium

[Conniff]

The worse part of this is that Sky will now be reporting the same thing with the same bits of video 24 hours a day for the next week and all under the banner of 'Breaking News'.

[unclebulgaria67]

There was a security expert on a radio programme saying that if you are catching a flight from any airport, go straight to check in and get through security ASAP. The safest part of an airport is near the gate to the aircraft.

[citizenB]

 

Cities that have suffered multiple terrorist attacks, such as Istanbul, Nairobi and Bombay, already screen passengers and their baggage before they are allowed into the main terminal building. The problem for European airports - especially crowded and constrained Heathrow and Gatwick - is that very significant remodelling would be needed to allow that to happen.

 

Hmm, so is this going to be the clincher to allow either expansion or another airport ?

[Conniff]

The worse part of this is that Sky will now be reporting the same thing with the same bits of video 24 hours a day for the next week and all under the banner of 'Breaking News'.

 

I knew it, turn on the telly this morning and there is 'Breaking News' on Sky - a bomb has gone off in Belgium - what is it with them and their breaking news.

[citizenB]

 

Brussels, Belgium (CNN)In grainy images from surveillance footage, a man wearing light-colored clothes and a hat pushes a baggage cart through the airport.

 

It's one key piece of evidence authorities are looking at as they search for suspects after two explosions at the Brussels airport and another at a busy metro station in the Belgian capital Tuesday killed at least 30 people and wounded 230 others.

 

ISIS claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks, but authorities said it's too soon to say for sure whether the terror group was behind the blasts.

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/22/europe/brussels-explosions/

[citizenB]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35879141

 

Two of the suicide bombers who carried out attacks in Brussels on Tuesday have been named as brothers Khalid and Brahim el-Bakraoui, Belgian nationals.

 

The federal prosecutor said Brahim was part of the attack at Zaventem airport that killed 11 people. Khalid struck at Maelbeek metro, where 20 people died.

 

Two other attackers at the airport have not yet been identified. One of them died, another is on the run.

[citizenB]

I wonder if the different agencies had communicated with one another, if this disaster could have been averted ?

 

Apparently there are two police forces who speak different languages who simply do not share information ?

[citizenB]

 

The Brussels terrorist attacks are raising serious questions about why Belgian security forces were unable to protect high-profile targets like the city’s airport, despite warnings from their own intelligence services that Islamic State militants were poised to strike.

 

Fears of a possible terrorist attack in Brussels have been running high for months. The Belgian government went so far as to lock down the capital last year after receiving specific intelligence that a group of extremists were plotting a bombing and gun assault in the style of the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

 

The lockdown was lifted after four days, but the government’s performance fueled criticism that it was behind the curve on the terrorist threat. Belgian security services also came under fire for having monitored and tracked several of the Paris attackers without informing their French counterparts about the suspects.

 

 

 

 

Concerns about Belgium’s ability to counter the terrorist threat were reinforced after it took authorities four months to track down the most wanted man in Europe, Salah Abdelslam, who was hiding in the Molenbeek neighborhood of Brussels. Abdelslam is believed to be the last surviving member of the Islamic State cell that carried out the devastating attacks on Paris, and authorities had repeatedly raided the neighborhood before apprehending him.

 

 

 

Counterterrorism experts said Belgium now finds itself confronting a terrorist infrastructure that has planted deep roots in Belgian society as the war in Syria has escalated. According to figures assembled by Belgian terrorism researcher Pieter Van Ostaeyen, as many as 562 Belgians have fought in Iraq or Syria. At least 124 hail from Brussels. With a population of 11 million, Belgium has sent more fighters per capita than any country in Europe to the charnel house of the Syrian civil war. According to Van Ostaeyen’s figures, at least 75 Belgians have returned to the country — making it nearly impossible for the country’s small and under-budgeted security services to track them all.

 

“The bigger problem is that such a thriving terrorist infrastructure was allowed to establish itself in the first place,” said Bruce Hoffman, the director of the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University and a counterterrorism scholar. He added that “key operatives and senior [islamic State] commanders are based in Brussels,” where they’re able to draw “on a network of operatives and also sympathizers.”

 

http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/03/22/in-brussels-attacks-chronicle-of-a-disaster-foretold/

[san_d]

I have a feeling that there could be attacks like this accross Europe this summer, as the conflict from Iraq/Syria expands.

 

This will not help the referendum on the EU, as some will naturally believe that isolating the UK from mainland Europe would help with security. In reality, you cannot isolate yourself, as terrorists don't recognise borders. The UK relies on having a lot of surveillance and security services acting before attacks happen.

 

You have to ask yourself who is benefiting from that. Surely not the Muslims.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if one day we discovered there is Vladimir's hand on it. It's not a secret that Russia is rooting for a break up of the EU. They have pretty much created the cause for the exodus of refugees from Sirya, then facilitated their entry into Europe, so they can break the EU from within.

 

Imagine the EU is broken, Russia can then invade the ex Communist countries, plus Greece and Cyprus, why not Italy, after all they are broke and bankrupt.

 

Then they can put their missiles on friendly soil and point them towards Germany and Britain.

[Guest]

apparently belgium were informed of one of the twats' high status by Turkey when they deported it. and were also known by other agencies as very suspect. some belgium ministers offering to resign as a result. bbc.

wld've thought there is a global share amongst allies re such intelligence info? either in or out of the EU?