Turkey- Terror attacks in Brussels cause at least 34 deaths

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) On Tuesday March 22nd Brussels the symbolic capital of the EU was hit by a series of terror attacks causing at least 34 deaths and injuring more than 230.

First bombs in Zaventem Airport

The first bomb went off at Belgium’s largest international airport followed by a second one just directly afterwards both were said to be located at the check-in area. In Belgium entrances to these areas within the airport are not blocked by initial security as they are in Turkey therefore it is difficult to secure these areas.

According to the Belgium public broadcasting organization RTBF the Center of Crisis in Belgium has officially reported 10 deaths and 100 injured.

Early analyses suppose that the bombs were placed in luggage. The two suicide bombers were identified to be brothers that were not yet known to have connections to the jihadist scene as reported by RTBF. A massive manhunt has commenced for a third man who was seen with the two perpetrators on the airport’s surveillance cameras. As La Libre Belgique reported a third bomb was found and defused in the aftermath the initial explosions. The third suspect in question is purported to have carried the third bomb into the airport escaping when it would not detonate.

La Libre Belgique reported that weapons were found in the building of Zaventem airport but this information has not yet been confirmed by official sources. According to VTM one of the main television stations of Belgium an intact explosive belt was found at the airport while VRT reported that a Kalashnikov rifle was recovered near the body of an assailant.

According to La Meuse the last attack to have occurred at Zaventem airport was in 1979 when three Palestinian terrorists threw grenades over a bridge at passengers exiting a flight from Israel. Christophe Lamfalussy a journalist for Libre Belgique noted that 12 were wounded in this attack. The incident prompted the Belgian authorities to review the security of the airport and to install protective netting above the check-in counters.

Explosion in subway at Maelbeek station

The Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company (STIB) confirmed that a blast occurred on Tuesday around 9:11 in a subway train that was stopped at Maelbeek station in the direction of Arts-Loi. The station was evacuated. RTBF reports that this attack killed 20 people and wounded at least 130.

The train station is in the “European-quarter” of Brussels just 400 meters away from the EU-Commission and the EU-Council the two most important institutions of the European Union. The city of Brussels itself is highly symbolic because it hosts the headquarters of many European Institutions as well as those of NATO.

According to RTBF the government closed all train stations on Tuesday. Today most of them were opened again albeit under increased security. Nevertheless important train stations close to the European institutions and the airport remain closed.

Enhanced security measures

Belgium has raised its security alert to the highest possible level: 4 out of 4.

In Brussels certain schools the European quarter and institutional buildings were closed on Tuesday but have been opened again today.

Countries neighbouring Belgium have taken several security measures. Additional patrols have been deployed at the largest airports and major international traffic hubs. On Tuesday the French-Belgian border was closed according to Libération.

After the terror attacks in Paris last November Salah Abdeslam who played a key role in planning and perpetrating these attacks was able to evade the authorities and escape from France to Belgium directly after the massacres.

International Reactions

International sympathy and grief for the victims of the attacks has been profound as world leaders call for solidarity in the common fight against terror. US President Barack Obama said “We must be together regardless of nationality or race or faith in fighting against the scourge of terrorism.” Russian lawmaker Alexei Pushkov emphasized the need for Western powers to work jointly with Russia against terrorist groups as reported by Aljazeera.

Referring to Belgium’s symbolic status as the capital of the EU French President François Hollande declared “Terrorists struck Brussels but it was Europe that was targeted.”

Turkish Prime Minister Davutolu commented on the acts of terror while addressing parliament: “I offer my condolences to the government and the people of Belgium and I want to express solidarity on behalf of our people. […] I invite all of humanity to stand united against global terror and any sort of terrorism”.

Incarceration of Salah Abdeslam

The terror attacks occurred just four days after Salah Abdeslam was caught in Brussels. Abdeslam is accused of having played a key role in the attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people.

As Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders reported on Sunday Abdeslam was willing to “do something in Brussels”. Later Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon stated on Monday that the country feared a possible revenge attack for Abdeslam’s capture. In a radio interview Jambon said “We know that stopping one cell can […] push others into action. We are aware of it in this case”.

Nevertheless various political analyses such as those put forward by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs do not see a direct connection between Abdeslam’s incarceration and the Brussels bombings as they claim that these bombings took a long time to prepare considering that three bombs detonated at the same time. In this way the capture of Abdeslam might have just reinforced the determination of the perpetrators.
Terror attacks in Brussels cause at least 34 deaths

On Tuesday March 22nd Brussels the symbolic capital of the EU was hit by a series of terror attacks causing at least 30 deaths and injuring more than 230.

First bombs in Zaventem Airport

The first bomb went off at Belgium’s largest international airport followed by a second one just directly afterwards both were said to be located at the check-in area. In Belgium entrances to these areas within the airport are not blocked by initial security as they are in Turkey therefore it is difficult to secure these areas.

According to the Belgium public broadcasting organization RTBF the Center of Crisis in Belgium has officially reported 10 deaths and 100 injured.

Early analyses suppose that the bombs were placed in luggage. The two suicide bombers were identified to be brothers that were not yet known to have connections to the jihadist scene as reported by RTBF. A massive manhunt has commenced for a third man who was seen with the two perpetrators on the airport’s surveillance cameras. As La Libre Belgique reported a third bomb was found and defused in the aftermath the initial explosions. The third suspect in question is purported to have carried the third bomb into the airport escaping when it would not detonate.

La Libre Belgique reported that weapons were found in the building of Zaventem airport but this information has not yet been confirmed by official sources. According to VTM one of the main television stations of Belgium an intact explosive belt was found at the airport while VRT reported that a Kalashnikov rifle was recovered near the body of an assailant.

According to La Meuse the last attack to have occurred at Zaventem airport was in 1979 when three Palestinian terrorists threw grenades over a bridge at passengers exiting a flight from Israel. Christophe Lamfalussy a journalist for Libre Belgique noted that 12 were wounded in this attack. The incident prompted the Belgian authorities to review the security of the airport and to install protective netting above the check-in counters.

Explosion in subway at Maelbeek station

The Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company (STIB) confirmed that a blast occurred on Tuesday around 9:11 in a subway train that was stopped at Maelbeek station in the direction of Arts-Loi. The station was evacuated. RTBF reports that this attack killed 20 people and wounded at least 130.

The train station is in the “European-quarter” of Brussels just 400 meters away from the EU-Commission and the EU-Council the two most important institutions of the European Union. The city of Brussels itself is highly symbolic because it hosts the headquarters of many European Institutions as well as those of NATO.

According to RTBF the government closed all train stations on Tuesday. Today most of them were opened again albeit under increased security. Nevertheless important train stations close to the European institutions and the airport remain closed.

Enhanced security measures

Belgium has raised its security alert to the highest possible level: 4 out of 4.

In Brussels certain schools the European quarter and institutional buildings were closed on Tuesday but have been opened again today.

Countries neighbouring Belgium have taken several security measures. Additional patrols have been deployed at the largest airports and major international traffic hubs. On Tuesday the French-Belgian border was closed according to Libération.

After the terror attacks in Paris last November Salah Abdeslam who played a key role in planning and perpetrating these attacks was able to evade the authorities and escape from France to Belgium directly after the massacres.

International Reactions

International sympathy and grief for the victims of the attacks has been profound as world leaders call for solidarity in the common fight against terror. US President Barack Obama said “We must be together regardless of nationality or race or faith in fighting against the scourge of terrorism.” Russian lawmaker Alexei Pushkov emphasized the need for Western powers to work jointly with Russia against terrorist groups as reported by Aljazeera.

Referring to Belgium’s symbolic status as the capital of the EU French President François Hollande declared “Terrorists struck Brussels but it was Europe that was targeted.”

Turkish Prime Minister Davutolu commented on the acts of terror while addressing parliament: “I offer my condolences to the government and the people of Belgium and I want to express solidarity on behalf of our people. […] I invite all of humanity to stand united against global terror and any sort of terrorism”.

Incarceration of Salah Abdeslam

The terror attacks occurred just four days after Salah Abdeslam was caught in Brussels. Abdeslam is accused of having played a key role in the attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people.

As Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders reported on Sunday Abdeslam was willing to “do something in Brussels”. Later Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon stated on Monday that the country feared a possible revenge attack for Abdeslam’s capture. In a radio interview Jambon said “We know that stopping one cell can […] push others into action. We are aware of it in this case”.

Nevertheless various political analyses such as those put forward by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs do not see a direct connection between Abdeslam’s incarceration and the Brussels bombings as they claim that these bombings took a long time to prepare considering that three bombs detonated at the same time. In this way the capture of Abdeslam might have just reinforced the determination of the perpetrators.