Brussels attacks a 'black day for Europe'

Belgium's European partners responded with shock and solidarity Tuesday after "terrorist attacks" at Brussels airport and a city metro station near the European Union's institutional heart left at least 21 people dead.

Russia and Turkey -- themselves targets of attacks in recent months -- condemned the blasts, saying they bore out the need to fight terrorism.

"Today is a black day for #Europe. The horrible events in #Brussels affect us all. We are steadfastly at the Belgians' side," German Justice Minister Heiko Maas said on Twitter.

"Our Union's capital is under attack. We mourn the dead & pledge to conquer terror through democracy," the Greek foreign ministry said in a tweet.

It added in French,"Nous sommes tous Bruxellois," -- "We are all citizens of Brussels."

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven described the blasts as "an attack against democratic Europe. We will never accept that terrorists attack our open societies."

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said: "My heart and spirit in Brussels, Europe," while Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said "the Brussels attacks strike the heart of our Europe."

Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen denounced the blasts as a "despicable attack."

In other reactions:

-- Russian President Vladimir Putin: The "barbarous crimes... demonstrate once again that terrorism has no borders and threatens people around the world. Fighting this evil calls for the most active international cooperation."

-- Turkish Foreign Minister Volkan Bozkir: "Every effort must continue to fight terrorism without distinction and those who support terrorism."

-- Polish President Andrzej Duda: "The fight against terrorism is the duty of every one of us."

-- Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic: "The world is shocked by these terrorist attacks, which jeopardise all the values of civilisation that we strongly support."

-- The Syrian opposition, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said: "The people of Syria stand with the people of Belgium in solidarity... The world must stand united to defeat terrorism."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

London Gatwick airport steps up security after Brussels attacks

LONDON, United Kingdom – London's Gatwick airport stepped up security on Tuesday after a string of explosions in Brussels as British Prime Minister David Cameron prepared to hold an emergency cabinet meeting on the attacks.

"As a result of the terrible incidents in Brussels, we have increased our security presence and patrols around the airport," the airport said in a statement.

Cameron earlier said on Twitter he was "shocked and concerned" by the events in Brussels.

"I will be chairing a COBRA meeting on the events in Brussels later this morning," Cameron said.

COBRA meetings are held to discuss how the government responds to emergency situations and bring together ministers, police and intelligence officers.

A string of explosions rocked Brussels airport and a city metro station on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people, according to media reports, as Belgium raised its terror threat to the maximum level.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Belgian media say explosions at Brussels airport, several injured

BRUSSELS - Explosions tore through the departure hall of Brussels airport on Tuesday morning killing up to 10 people and injuring 30 others and a second blast struck a metro station in the capital shortly afterwards, the Belgian public broadcaster RTBF said.

The Belga agency said shots were fired and there were shouts in Arabic shortly before the blasts at the airport. Pictures on social media showed smoke rising from the terminal building through shattered windows and passengers running away down a slipway, some still hauling their bags.

The blasts at the airport and metro station occurred four days after the arrest in Brussels of a suspected participant in November militant attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. Belgian police had been on alert for any reprisal action.

British Sky News television's Alex Rossi, at the airport, said he heard two "very, very loud explosions".

"I could feel the building move. There was also dust and smoke as well...I went towards where the explosion came from and there were people coming out looking very dazed and shocked."

"The thinking here is that it is some kind of terrorist attack - that hasn't been verified by any of the authorities here at the airport."

Video showed devastation inside the departure hall with ceiling tiles and glass scattered across the floor.

RTBF said the metro station hit by the explosion was close to European Union institutions. Authorities closed all metro stations in Brussels, but there were no details immediately available of any casualties in this second incident of the day.

Fermeture du métro #STIB
Sluiting van alle metrostations #MIVB
All metro stations are closing #Brussels @zpz_polbru

— STIB-MIVB (@STIBMIVB) March 22, 2016

A local journalist tweeted a photograph of a person lying covered in blood among smoke outside Maelbeek metro station, on the main Rue de la Loi avenue which connects central Brussels with the EU institutions.

FLIGHTS CANCELLED, PASSENGERS EVACUATED

Don't come to the airport - airport is being evacuated. Avoid the airport area. Flights have been cancelled.

— Brussels Airport (@BrusselsAirport) March 22, 2016

The agency cited hospital sources as saying up to ten people wre killed at the airport.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said on his twitter feed: "We are following the situation minute by minute. Our priority concern is for the victims and those present in the airport."

Brussels airport said it had cancelled all flights and the complex had been evacuated and trains to the airport had been stopped. Passengers were taken to coaches from the terminal that would remove them to a secure area.

Police did not give any confirmation of the cause of the blast. But there has been a high state of alert across western Europe for fear of militant attacks backed by Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the Paris attack.

European stocks fell after the explosions, particularly travel sector stocks including airlines and hotels, pulling the broader indices down from multi-week highs. Safe-haven assets, gold and government bonds rose in price.

French citizen Salah Abdeslam, the prime surviving suspect for November's Paris attacks on a stadium, cafes and a concert hall, was captured by Belgian police after a shootout on Friday.

Belgium's Interior Minister, Jan Jambon, said on Monday the country was on high alert for a revenge attack.

"We know that stopping one cell can ... push others into action. We are aware of it in this case," he told public radio.

French investigator Francois Molins told a news conference in Paris on Saturday that Abdeslam, a French citizen born and raised in Brussels, admitted to investigators he had wanted to blow himself up along with others at the Stade de France on the night of the attack claimed by Islamic State; but he later backed out.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com