28 Dead in Blast in Brussels

[Robertt S]

At least 28 people were killed and dozens of others were injured after coordinated explosions rocked the Brussels airport and subway system Tuesday morning. The attacks came four days after the main suspect in the November Paris attacks was arrested in Brussels. After his arrest, Salah Abdeslam told authorities he had created a new network and was planning new attacks. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attacks.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel told a midday press conference that "what we feared has happened" and said his country faced "a tragic moment. We have to be calm and show solidarity.
The first two explosions rocked the departure hall at the Brussels airport shortly after 8 a.m. local time. (3 a.m. ET). Witnesses told The Associated Press that one occurred at an excess baggage payment counter and the other near a Starbucks cafe.
Reuters, citing the Belga news agency, reported that shots were fired and shouting in Arabic was heard before the explosions.
Zach Mouzoun, who arrived on a flight from Geneva about 10 minutes before the first blast, told BFM television that the second, louder explosion brought down ceilings and ruptured pipes, mixing water with blood from victims.
"It was atrocious. The ceilings collapsed," he said. "There was blood everywhere, injured people, bags everywhere."
 
"We were walking in the debris. It was a war scene," he said.
 
About 80 minutes after the airport blasts, another explosion was reported on a train that was stopped at the Maelbeek subway station, not far from the headquarters of the European Union. Rescue workers set up a makeshift treatment center in a local pub. Dazed and shocked morning travelers streamed from the metro entrances as police tried to set up a security cordon.
Brussels police spokesman Christian De Coninck said there were deaths at the station, but said he had no idea how many were killed.
 
Alexandre Brans, 32, who was wiping blood from his face, said: "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."
First responders ran through the street outside with two people on stretchers, their clothes badly torn.
Belgium's interior minister announced that the terror threat was being raised to its maximum level. All flights were canceled, arriving planes and trains were diverted and Belgium's terror alert level was raised to its highest level. Authorities told people in Brussels to stay where they were, bringing the city to a standstill. Airport security was also tightened in Paris, London and other European cities
The explosions at the airport hit at the middle of the busiest time there. Smoke was seen billowing out of the terminal while other images showed a security officer patrolling inside a hall with blasted paneling and what appears to be ceiling insulation covering the floor. A member of Belgium's parliament, whose wife was at the airport, told Belga that the wounded were struck by flying glass and ceiling tiles.
Marie-Odile Lognard, a traveller who was lining up in the departures hall for a flight to Abu Dhabi, told BFM television that people panicked after the first explosion about 20 meters from her and that a second explosion about 15 seconds later caused parts of the ceiling to collapse.
"I knew it was an explosion because I've been around explosions before," said Denise Brandt, an American woman interviewed by Sky television.
 
"I felt the explosion, the way it feels through your body. And we just looked at each other and I said let's go this way. It was over there. There was just this instinct to get away from it. Then we saw people running, crying, toward us. So I knew we were going in the right direction and away from it. "
Amateur video shown on France's i-Tele television showed passengers including a child running with a backpack dashing out of the terminal different directions as they tugged luggage.
Marc Noel, 63, was about to board a Delta flight to Atlanta, to return to his home in Raleigh, North Carolina.
 
A Belgium native, Noel says he was in an airport shop buying automobile magazines was the first explosion occurred about 50 yards away.
 
"People were crying, shouting, children. It was a horrible experience," he told AP. He said his decision to buy the magazines might have saved his life. "I don't want to think about it, but I would probably have been in that place when the bomb went off."
With three runways in the shape of a "Z," the airport connects Europe's capital to 226 destinations around the world and handled nearly 23.5 million passengers in 2015.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/03/22/at-least-28-killed-in-terror-attacks-at-brussels-airport-metro-station.html

It appears the peace talks have resumed in Europe! I know it is just a matter of time before they get a good lick on the US again.

[Willy The Londoner]

It is now 34 dead with many more injured.

Sky News had a camera crew in the departure lounge awaiting their flight and within seconds pictures of the scene were being broadcast live. First by the reporters smart cell phone then by the cameraman's equipment. 

I was in London in July 2005 when homegrown terrorists killed 56 in various transportation attacks. I lived and worked during 20 years of  Irish terrorist bombings in England but yesterday was different. Yesterday I may have been sitting thousands of miles away in China watching things unfold before me but this even seemed so much closer as things were happening before my eyes. The immediate fear and emotions of the those involved was very striking. Usually you see films of what went on a while later but we was watching it almost as it happens.

But how far can security go?   The heavy security at airports throughout the world to date was designed to prevent aircraft from being high jacked in the air. But how can you stop attack such as occurred yesterday?  These were three men carrying suitcases filled with explosives into the the check in area before normal security checks takes place.

Do you start checking outside the terminal? This will cause large crowds making those targets for terrorists.

I have no idea of the answer but suspect things are going to get worse before they will get better. 

I remember 10 year ago I was flying out of Lagos airport in Nigeria. The customs required everyone to open their cases before checking them in.  However dropping the customs officer with a few dollars and they ensured that your case was not opened and one could have anything inside. The request was carried out not quietly but openly so that all could hear. Which was a stark contrast when I transferred planes in Dallas the same year when I had to take of my belt and shoes for inspection as well as a body search.

Willy

[JohnB]

There is no answer. Or, “get use to it”. At least for the immediate future.

This shit had to play out in some way or other. Playing fast & loose in the
in the Middle East in the 80's, flip flop of Iran/ Iraq- Iraq/ Iran client states,
Afghanistan, Lebanon..of course Israel & Saudi Arabia. Always Israel &
Saudi Arabia.
Where does one begin..or finish. 

Big lies, stupid little wars...arrogant Americans sticking it to somebody somewhere.   
Then go home.
Bush's “Mission Accomplished”. Fucking idiot.
I feel bad for the Europeans. They did not deserve this shit.   

Kind of funny..
Google “churches in Saudi Arabia”,
             “churches in Iran”,
             “churches in Israel”.
Look at the present state of being, history, blah, blah, blah.
Surprising?, hopefully so.

Well, maybe Obama's rapprochement with Iran & Cuba may be a good beginning. 



Two Middle East mothers are sitting in al cafe chatting over a plate of tabouli and a pint of goat's milk.
The older of the two pulls a small folder out of her handbag and starts flipping through photos. They start reminiscing.
''This is my oldest son, Mujibar. He would have been 24 years old now.''
''Yes, I remember him as a baby.'' says the other mother cheerfully.
"He's a martyr now though." the mother confides.
"Oh, so sad dear...'' says the other.

''And this is my second son, Khalid. He would have been 21.''
''Oh, I remember him,'' says the other happily, ''he had such curly hair when he was born.''
''He's a martyr too...'' says the mother quietly.
''Oh, gracious me...'' says the other.
''And this is my third son. My baby. My beautiful Ahmed. He would have been 18'', she whispers.
"Yes," says the friend enthusiastically, ''I remember when he first started school...''
''He's a martyr also,'' says the mother, with tears in her eyes.
After a pause and a deep sigh, the second Muslim mother looks wistfully at the photographs and, searching for the right words, says . . .

"They blow up so fast, don't they?"