Brussels explosions: Many dead in airport and metro terror attacks

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Last edited Tue Mar 22, 2016, 08:08 AM - Edit history (4)

Source: The Journal

Many people have been killed or seriously injured in terrorist attacks at Brussels international airport and a city metro station, Belgium's PM says.

Two blasts hit Zaventem airport at about 07:00 GMT, and another struck Maelbeek metro station an hour later.

The government has not confirmed casualty numbers. Brussels transport officials say 15 died at Maelbeek and media say up to 13 died at the airport.

Belgium has now raised its terror threat to its highest level.

Read more: http://www.thejournal.ie/brussels-explosion-2673366-Mar2016/

---

[840high]

3. My first thought - ISIS

[Dem2]

53. So when the media starts saying ISIS every 20 seconds

Cuz it's the most obvious, tiresome thing they say, I guess I can't complain.

[840high]

94. Belgium today.

[MariaThinks]

64. obviously or islamic militants of some group

[Bad Dog]

30. The BBC's security expert Frank Gardener was on the radio.

He confirmed that Belgium has more jihadis per capita than any other European country, including the two suicide bombers who killed anti Taliban leader Ahmad Shah Massoud just a couple of days before 9/11.

He says security is lax, that intelligence services and the police don't share information, something that was sorted in Britain over ten years ago. As an example he said Belgian police get a lot of information from British police who are told by MI5 who were told by the CIA who got their information from the Belgian intelligence services. That's quite a circular route.

[7962]

38. Belgium also has some very strict laws on tracking these people

one of the most ridiculous: no police raids are allowed after 5PM, according to one reporter this AM on MSNBC

[6chars]

2. More from BBC

Images on social media from the scene showed smoke rising from one of the terminal buildings. The cause of the explosions is unknown.

Some reports from the scene speak of casualties but this has not been confirmed.

The blasts come four days after the capture in Brussels of Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris attacks in November.

Belgian media say the airport is being evacuated. It has been closed to flights. Rail transport to the facility has been halted.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869254

[6chars]

4. Two explosions centered at American Airlines check-in desk

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3503928/Two-explosions-heard-Brussels-Airport.html

[dana_b]

5. shit... video from skynews:

http://news.sky.com/story/1664446/two-loud-explosions-heard-at-brussels-airport

[MowCowWhoHow III]

6. BREAKING: Firefighters report 11 dead and 25 wounded in #Zaventem airport explosions

BREAKING: Firefighters report 11 dead and 25 wounded in #Zaventem airport explosions
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/712184102246608896

[nitpicker]

18. Another casualty guess

RTBF cites a hospital source as saying there are up to 10 dead and 30 wounded in the airport attack.

[nitpicker]

8. The latest from BBC-the updating thread

http://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-35869266

The latest is that Brussels airport has closed.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

9. France24 live stream

http://www.france24.com/en/livefeed

Also reports of gunfire/arabic shouted before the explosions.

[nitpicker]

10. France 24 live blog link

http://www.france24.com/en/20160322-liveblog-explosions-brussels-airport-belgium

Preliminary reports of the explosions happening around the American Airlines counter.

[bluestateguy]

11. I have a relative in Brussels

I think she is out of the country today, but I can't be too sure.

No word on her FB or Twitter page yet.

[romanic]

31. I hope she's okay.

Think positive.

[greatauntoftriplets]

54. I have cousins in Brussels as well.

I hope that your relative is safe.

[Bad Dog]

12. The latest from the BBC.

Emergency services are clearing the airport completely. Belgium's Het Laatste Nieuws reports that more bombs have been found.

The Belga news agency reports that shots were fired and shouts in Arabic were heard before the two explosions.

Images on social media showed smoke rising from one of the buildings, amid reports of panic as people fled the airport.

Rail transport to the facility has been halted and people have been told not to come to the airport.

Other reports say at least one of the explosions was close to the American Airlines check-in area but this has not been confirmed.

The Belgian broadcaster RTBF quoted a witness as saying there were people injured or unconscious in the departure area, opposite the Sheraton hotel.

Niels Caignau, a Swissport employee, told Flemish broadcaster VRT: "I was on a break and heard and felt a big explosion - we have from here a view over the departure hall and saw a plume of smoke come out.

"The windows are completely shattered. People went outside in shock. It doesn't look good."

The Zaventem airport is 11km (7 miles) north-east of Brussels and dealt with more than 23 million passengers last year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35869254

[MowCowWhoHow III]

13. Explosion reported at metro stop near EU building (unconfirmed)

[nitpicker]

15. France 24 is reporting this rumor

Train staff are also reporting the blast at Maalbeek metro station.

http://www.france24.com/en/20160322-liveblog-explosions-brussels-airport-belgium

[riversedge]

29. Fox reporting 3 explosions at Metro and 2 at the airport (one was suicide bomber per fox)

[MowCowWhoHow III]

14. #BREAKING Blast on Brussels metro at Maalbeek station: train staff

#BREAKING Blast on Brussels metro at Maalbeek station: train staff
https://twitter.com/AFP/status/712193672029327360

[nitpicker]

16. BBC indicating smoke at the metro

Explosion on Brussels metro, system shut down - reports

Posted at
04:28




Unconfirmed reports are emerging of an explosion at Maelbeek metro station in Brussels, close to the city's EU institutions.

Images posted to social media appear to show smoke emerging from the front of the station.

[melman]

17. When they arrested the Paris attacker a couple of days ago

they said he'd been planning something in Brussels. I guess ISIS wanted to show they could still pull it off. And unfortunately they did.

[Betty Karlson]

26. Pretty sure this was a 'now or never' action -

In Belgian, Dutch and French news outlets, there had been talk that Abdeslam would be offered a reduced charge in exchange for information on his buddies, and his lawyer indicated that Abdeslam was strongly considering the offer.

[christx30]

58. My guess is that after today,

that offer has been withdrawn, and they are going to hammer the crap out of the guy, in a legal sense.

[Betty Karlson]

59. Could be: maybe Abdeslam was just trying to buy them time to put things in motion?

Let the Belgians and the French investigate the case. They are the proper authorities.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

74. You have to wonder what could be a "reduced charge"

Surely, the terrorist attacks he's participated in should all demand life sentences.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. Reporting explosions at a subway station in Brussels

Just sad.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

20. Brussels Fire rep. tells NBC that there have been at least 4 explosions at different metro stations

BREAKING: Brussels Fire rep. tells NBC that there have been at least 4 explosions at different metro stations http://cnb.cx/1Rhekw6
https://twitter.com/CNBCnow/status/712196547266678784

[lebkuchen]

22. Your live feed now says 13 dead, 35 injured and confirms attacks at other stations

[lebkuchen]

23. I wish Al Gore had become our president

[Deuce]

27. Yep...things probably would have been significantly different.

[Hortensis]

36. Hmm... Arab Spring, religious wars, climate change,

disappearing fresh water, falling oil prices, economic collapse, would all have occurred without our disastrous Bush presidency.

And certainly the Islamists were already at war with everyone else, including well over a billion other Muslims. Formation of ISIS was still in the future, but, although it would have been nice if we hadn't provided ISIS with a chaotic Iraq to develop as its stronghold, we didn't cause ISIS and wouldn't/couldn't have stopped it.

It seems to me how significantly different this dreadful mess would be is severely in question. The forces tearing apart that region are enormous. Even, would Iraq still be a jihad-free stronghold under strong man Saddam Hussein and his secular government, or would his government have given way to something else by now?

[7962]

37. I think Iraq may be the only thing you cite that may have remained the same

I seriously doubt Saddam would have given up any power and his sons were ready and able to take over. Saddam had lasted so long by keeping ALL groups under control

But everything else you mention, yes.

ISIS learned by fighting against us in Iraq. Once again, the worst foreign policy decision ever

[Hortensis]

46. Yes, I forgot those sons, just thinking of how

old Hussein would be now. With all the destabilizing factors, it's very likely we'd still be patrolling two thirds of Iraq and perhaps still embargoing.

Absolutely the worst policy decision ever.

But we can expect more of the same anyway if we elect leaders like W who believe in Christianity-based neoconservatism and and an "exceptional" America's destiny.

[melman]

32. Wishing won't change the past

We're here in the present and something has to be done to stop these monsters.

[philosslayer]

69. Really?

"Kill them all, and let God sort them out" in other words? Nice.

[Lucky Luciano]

70. No - the degenerates.

[philosslayer]

81. So you can tell who is a degenerate and who is not?

This is the reason posts that extol "extermination" are very dangerous..

[Lizzie Poppet]

82. "I wish there was a way to determine..."

You did notice that line, right? Obviously the poster isn't claiming to be able to differentiate the degenerates.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

25. Belgian public broadcaster VTM says there are reports of 10 dead in metro explosion in Brussels

Belgian public broadcaster VTM says there are reports of 10 dead in metro explosion in Brussels
https://twitter.com/rtenews/status/712205251793829888

[riversedge]

28. Been flipping the cable news. Fox reporting 23 dead. Dozens hurt. Shots fired followed

by explosions-2 at airport (saying one was suicide now). Also 3 explosions elsewhere at Metro station!

[Dem2]

51. Fox is a "news" source?

Not on my TV, it's been blocked.

[riversedge]

33. Being handled as "coordinated suicide attack" per cnn

[MowCowWhoHow III]

34. #Breaking Belgium attacks' death toll reaches 33, 20 in metro blast, 13 in airport

#Breaking Belgium attacks' death toll reaches 33, 20 in metro blast, 13 in airport
https://twitter.com/AlArabiya_Eng/status/712220566657372161

[Yo_Mama]

57. 34 now. Here's hoping it doesn't rise much more. 130 wounded.

My heart is with Brussels.

These bloody-minded nutcase fanatics. We should not be surprised, given what ISIS has showed us about its thinking in the territories it has controlled. Massacres and atrocities are standard features.

It is a bit like waking up in Jurissic Park, though. Most of us thought this sort of horror was in the past.

[LeftishBrit]

35. Truly horrible

[Divernan]

39. ISIS fighting alongside Saudi Arabia in Yemen

Where did ISIS get these 2 bombs? Last November the US State Dept. approved sale of bombs to Saudis for use against Yemen. Saudis have coalition with ISIS to fight in Yemen. Connect the friggin' dots.

On edit: Now appears there were at least 5 explosive devices - 4 different metro stops plus airport. So perhaps not bombs, per se, but access to a hell of a lot of explosive material, plus training in how to handle and assemble explosive devices.

Bottom Line: Saudis are allied with ISIS and the U.S. approves sales of arms to Saudis. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

Source: International Business Times
A coalition of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia is fighting alongside al-Qaeda militants against Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to a report. A BBC documentary crew has filmed jihadists and pro-government militiamen fighting rebels near the southern city of Taiz, supported by UAE soldiers.

In late-2015, documentary maker Safa AlAhmad filmed members of Ansar al-Sharia, an affiliate of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), attacking Houthi fighters on a key hilltop near Taiz, with pro-government troops nearby. She was reportedly told by the militants to stop filming them and that they were angered by the presence of a woman.

Read more: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/yemen-conflict-saudi-arabia-led-coalition-fighting-alongside-al-qaeda-taiz-1545406
More sources:

https://twitter.com/yemenfightsback/status/668528170715475968
https://southfront.org/isis-fights-alongside-saudi-coalition-in-yemen/
http://www.aljabhah.com/?p=47610 (<<<<< WARNING: GRAPHIC!!!! and in arabic)
http://www.globalresearch.ca/isis-terrorists-are-now-fighting-alongside-saudi-forces-in-yemen/5514627
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/21/politics/isis-gaining-ground-in-yemen/

U.S. approves $1.29 billion sale of smart bombs to Saudi Arabia
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-usa-arms-idUSKCN0T51NC20151116

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of $1.29 billion in smart bombs to Saudi Arabia to help replenish supplies used in its battle against insurgents in Yemen and air strikes against Islamic State in Syria, the Pentagon said on Monday. The proposed sale includes 22,000 smart and general purpose bombs, including 1,000 GBU-10 Paveway II Laser Guided Bombs, and over 5,000 Joint Direct Attack Munitions kits to turn older bombs into precision-guided weapons using GPS signals.

The weapons are made by Boeing Co (BA.N) and Raytheon Co (RTN.N), but the agency told lawmakers the prime contractors would be selected in a competition.

Saudi Arabia, one of the largest buyers of U.S. weapons, was approved in September for a potential second sale of 600 Patriot-PAC-3 air defense missiles made by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), a deal valued at $5.4 billion. Last month, the U.S. government also approved the sale to Saudi Arabia of up to four Littoral Combat Ships made by Lockheed for $11.25 billion.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which facilitates foreign arms sales, notified lawmakers on Friday that the sales had been approved, it said in a statement. The lawmakers now have 30 days to block the sale, although such action is rare since deals are carefully vetted before any formal notification.

The sales reflect President Barack Obama's pledge to bolster U.S. military support for Saudi Arabia and other Sunni allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council after his administration brokered a nuclear deal with their Shiite rival Iran.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

41. The Brussells bombs were almost certainly hand-made TATP

http://www.ibtimes.com/what-tatp-paris-attackers-used-unstable-hydrogen-peroxide-based-explosive-detonations-2184934

[Divernan]

42. Yes, I just edited/updated my post to reflect that these

were probably suicide/vest type explosives - although, they could have been in suitcases.

I still think it's relevant and alarming that the U.S. is approving massive weapons sales to the Saudis, who are now collaborating with ISIS.

[valerief]

92. And the more terrorist attacks around the world, the richer the defense contractors get. dot-dot-dot

[ucrdem]

40. So sad.

Now Brussels too.

[mnhtnbb]

43. I doubt it's a coincidence that American Airlines check in desk appears to have been first target

This is just sickening and so scary.

My youngest son just returned from London last Friday. My brother and his daughter are due to fly to London
tomorrow and be there the weekend. Then my brother goes on to Milan for business.

[melm00se]

66. The AA counter

at the Brussel's airport the closest counter to the entrance

[AngryAmish]

44. Blind attacks.

[Divernan]

45. Metro station closest to European Commission Hdqtrs. & Council of European Union

The map at the BBC link shows that the Maelbeek metro station is the one closest to 2 major EU institutions.

"The metro was leaving Maelbeek station when there was a really loud explosion. It was panic everywhere. There were a lot of people in the metro."

Fire brigade spokesman Pierre Meys told AFP: "Most of the wounded have been evacuated. The scene is rather chaotic."

The station is close to EU institutions. European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has told employees to stay indoors or at home. All meetings at EU institutions have been cancelled.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869254

[Divernan]

47. BBC: Maelbeek Metro station: 15 dead, 55 wounded.

BreakingBrussels metro: 15 dead, 55 wounded in Maelbeek bombing
Posted at 07:12

The Brussels metro operator has confirmed a provisional death toll for the attack at Maelbeek station: 15 dead, 55 wounded.

[beam me up scottie]

48. My parents lived in Brussels for years, it's a beautiful city.

My heart goes out to her citizens.

[iandhr]

49. Read this article from the times after Paris.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/25/world/europe/its-capital-frozen-belgium-surveys-past-failures-and-squabbles.html?_r=0



It argues how the nations current system of government divided between the French and Flemish speakers has hindered a response to terrorism.

[Blue_Tires]

50. Somewhere in Rio, Glenn Greenwald is furiously stroking himself

And Snowden will pop up to remind us this is why surveillance doesn't work

[Legends303]

60. Our safety

should come first before being worried about looking at someone's porn pictures

[Legends303]

52. i wish people would stop

protecting Islam. I agree all religion is bad but this is getting bad , people are getting killed.

[Elmergantry]

55. Islam?

I had the Amish Christo-Terrorists pegged for this.

[GummyBearz]

76. No, this one wasn't the Amish

Or American Christian terrorists. But someone will be along shortly to remind you that the Christians WOULD do the exact same thing here if they could (or something like that)

[Elmergantry]

91. No doubt...nt

[Ghost Dog]

56. It's not Islam. It's sectarian Sunni Islamic extremists

and victims brainwashed by the same.

With finance largely, apparantly, from Saudi Arabia.

[whatthehey]

61. Which are of course an Islamist terrorist group, of which the Shi's have their own

It's not "Islam" per se as an aggregate whole no, but pretending the extremists are not Islamic and Islamist would be utter nonsense. They are acting expressly as their religious beliefs dictate.

[leftynyc]

62. The sunni terrorists

financed by Saudi Arabia - the shiite terrorists financed by Iran. They do seem to have one thing in common although far too many liberals turn away from naming it.

[MillennialDem]

63. Ugh... was just there 3 months ago.

[ScreamingMeemie]

65. My cousin lives and works in Brussels as an attorney.

Last edited Tue Mar 22, 2016, 02:03 PM - Edit history (1)

Waiting to hear from him.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

67. BELGIUM: Tihange nuclear power plant in the Belgian province of Liege has been evacuated: VTM

BELGIUM: Tihange nuclear power plant in the Belgian province of Liege has been evacuated: VTM
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/712264023799144448

[MowCowWhoHow III]

75. UPDATE: Evacuation is standard procedure after Terror threat rises to level 4

UPDATE: All none essential staff evacuated from #Tihange Nuclear Plant,Evacuation is standard procedure after Terror threat rises to level 4
https://twitter.com/News_Executive/status/712272551804801024

[Bayard]

68. Horrifying. and more terrifying

Horrifying. And an even more horrifying thought..............is it a coincidence that this happened on a U.S. primary day? I can't help thinking, not only evil terrorists.....but, how much money does it take to buy a scenario like this if you're Trump? He can look "presidential" on the voracious media, and really whip his fan club into a frenzy now.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

77. Oh, for goodness' sakes

You're wearing your tinfoil hat a bit tight.

Trump is bad enough without ascribing this scenario to him Can you just see it? "Get my good friend Mohammed on the phone! You know, he loves me! Muslims love me!...."

"Hey, Mohammed, let's make a deal.."

[PeteSelman]

79. Yeah, Trump's behind it. That's the ticket.

The ticket right to the loony bin.

[Codeine]

80. We have a conspiracy dungeon for stupid shit

like that. Please confine such nonsense to the appropriate childrens' table.

[840high]

95. Bullshit.

[PersonNumber503602]

97. You should make a youtube video about your theory.

You'd probably have more luck with having your theory get traction over there. I don't think many people from here are gonna bite on to that.

[Bayard]

104. I'm just saying, that's one of the first things that popped into my mind

Actually, nothing would surprise me after 9/11's machinations.

"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man", by John Perkins, is a good place to start.

[Botany]

71. Thanx a lot w, Cheney, and so on you motherfuckers just had to go into Iraq and stir up ...

... that hornet's nest. In 2002 and 2003 France (remember Freedom Fries?) said the following:

1) We don't believe that Iraq has WMDs

2) We think the intel the US is getting from "Curve Ball" and others is faulty

3) There will be blow back from invading Iraq and it will destabilize the middle east

We invaded Iraq and sent the Iraqi Army (mostly sunni) home and some of those people became
al Qaeda in Iraq and that morphed into ISIS.

[MillennialDem]

72. Now if they get back in power they will destablilize it even more. Don't believe Trump for a

second about non-intervention.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

78. Trump or Clinton, either would jump into another hot war.

Clinton would, however, claim to be against waterboarding, depending on polls.

[MillennialDem]

72. Now if they get back in power they will destablilize it even more. Don't believe Trump for a

second about non-intervention.

[Democat]

83. Pretty sure Cheney didn't blow himself up in the middle of a crowded airport

Cheney was terrible, and Republicans should be voted out of office forever over the Iraq mess, but the people who did this today deserve the blame for their actions.

[Botany]

89. ISIS people need to be held accountable but .....

Former head of US special forces admits: Islamic State would not exist if Bush didn’t invade Iraq

Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn told the German newspaper Der Spiegel that Americans allowed their anger of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to lead them into disastrous military policies that failed to address the root causes of terrorism — and actually helped create new and more brutal terrorists.


http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/former-head-of-us-special-forces-admits-islamic-state-would-not-exist-if-bush-didnt-invade-iraq/

[MowCowWhoHow III]

84. Belgian media circulating images of suspects in the #Zaventem airport attack

Belgian media circulating images of suspects in the #Zaventem airport attack
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/712288479972102145

[bdwker]

86. Suuuuure..

any male with dark skin.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

87. Idiotic comment

[uppityperson]

85. Too many extremists hurting people. K&R with tears

[MowCowWhoHow III]

88. Islamic State claims responsibility

Islamic State claims responsibility

15:28

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the two bomb attacks in Brussels, a news agency affiliated with the group said.

AMAQ agency said:

Islamic State fighters carried out a series of bombings with explosive belts and devices on Tuesday, targeting an airport and a central metro station in the centre of the Belgian capital Brussels.


http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/mar/22/brussels-airport-explosions-live-updates?page=with:block-56f1645ae4b04098f62c5f9d#block-56f1645ae4b04098f62c5f9d

[TowneshipRebellion]

93. What goes around

comes around... We need to change our foreign policy and begin to make amends to the POC we have slaughtered around the world in the name of Good Ole Dollars. . You can't create your own enemies through genocide and the fomenting of for-profit wars and not expect some payback. It's only a matter of time until the chickens come home to roost.


RIP to the kids.

[EX500rider]

96. Yeah, those damn warmongering Belgium's....are u serious?

[TowneshipRebellion]

98. Deadly serious.

Learn your history.

[EX500rider]

100. So "learning my history"...

.....would show that everything bad the US does comes back to haunt Belgium? lol

[TowneshipRebellion]

101. The concept is treat people the way the you want to be treated.

You pretend not to see how the willful ignorance of this guiding principle is directly related to both Belgian foreign policy failure in history, US foreign policy failure today and the guerilla attacks we are seeing as a result of these failures. The lesson is that the chickens always come home to roost in one way or another. Your sarcastic dismissal of my remark isn't cute.

[EX500rider]

102. "The concept is treat people the way the you want to be treated."

If that's the theory the terrorists are operating under they aren't going to like the results.
And about the last time Belgium had terrible foreign policy was under King Leopold, who died in 1909.

[TowneshipRebellion]

103. So? Are we going to be better than them or not?

Did Belgium slaughter millions of Congolese or not? There are no "yes, buts..." when you want to claim the moral high ground. Either you support global corporatist mafioso action dressed as "the spreading of democratic ideals and protection of American interests" or you don't. The whole program is defective and will result in perpetual warfare and guerrilla action in western nations. This program is untenable for a myriad of reasons.

[EX500rider]

105. If every country is on the hook for ALL past actions then there are only sinners, no saints.

And somehow I doubt the modern islamic terrorists could care less what happened in the Congo over a century ago.


So? Are we going to be better than them or not?
We already are, so that's done.

[EX500rider]

108. "the guerrilla attacks"?!

A guerrilla attack would be ambushing some armed soldiers on patrol, not setting off bombs in airports, that would be terrorism.

[Codeine]

109. Oh fuck you.

Fuck you sideways with your self-satisfied apologia for this nutbag barbarism.

[Skittles]

110. I APPROVE OF THIS MESSAGE

YES INDEED

[anotherproletariat]

106. So awful. It makes you think about how vulnerable our airports are before and around the

security checkpoints.

[Beacool]

107. Terrible!!!

A friend called me early this morning to give me the news. She knows that I have a brother that lives some of the time in Belgium. My brother is an economist and spends part of the year in Belgium, as Brussels is the headquarters of the European Union. He prefers to live in France. Therefore, he commutes back and forth. I hope that he was nowhere near the airport when the attack occurred. I'm still waiting to hear from him or my sister in law.

My condolences to the families of the victims. May they rest in peace.