Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

BREAKING NEWS: Brussels attacks: Police hunt Zaventem bombings suspect

  • 8 minutes ago
Media captionKatya Adler reports: "Brussels has turned into a city of sirens and a centre of fear"

Belgian police have issued a wanted notice for a suspect after bomb attacks at Brussels' main airport and a metro station left more than 30 people dead.
The man was seen walking with two other suspects shortly before twin explosions tore through Zaventem airport.
Both men died in the attacks after detonating suicide devices, a Belgian prosecutor said.
Anti-terror raids have taken place across Belgium. So-called Islamic State (IS) said it was behind the attacks.
An online statement from the group said the locations were "carefully selected" and warned of worse to come for "Crusader states allied against the Islamic State".
The prosecutor, Frederic Van Leeuw, said police were seeking a man wearing a hat and light-coloured jacket.
He said searches were taking place "in several parts of the country", adding that an explosive device containing nails, chemical products and an IS flag were found in an apartment in the Schaerbeek area of Brussels.
CCTV grab of suspectsImage copyright AFP
Image caption The two men to the left are believed to have blown themselves up
The explosions happened in quick succession shortly after 08:00 local time (07:00 GMT), with some victims reportedly hit by the second blast as they tried to escape the first.
Another bomb was later found and destroyed in a controlled detonation at the scene.
The Zaventem mayor, Francis Vermeiren, told the AFP agency the suicide attackers used bombs hidden in their suitcases.

More about the attacks

Live: The latest updates
What we know so far
Why was Brussels attacked?
Crisis information
Eyewitnesses recall explosions
In pictures: Brussels explosions
Full coverage

About an hour after the airport blasts, another explosion struck the Maelbeek metro station near EU headquarters.
It has not been confirmed what caused the explosion but IS said it too was a suicide bombing.
Belgian officials put the death toll from both attacks at over 30, with at least 11 killed at the airport and about 20 at the metro station.
Almost 200 people have been injured, many of them severely.

Map showing where the Brussels attacks took place
The blasts came days after the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in last year's Paris attacks which were also claimed by IS.
"This is a day of tragedy, a black day," Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said. "I would like to call on everyone to show calmness and solidarity."
Belgium has raised its terrorism alert to its highest level. Three days of national mourning have been declared.
Some local transport has re-opened following a shutdown, but flights from the airport have been cancelled and the airport is unlikely to open for several days. Eurostar services in and out of Brussels have been suspended.
World leaders have sent condolences and messages of solidarity.
Smoke and broken windows at Zaventem airport, BrusselsImage copyright Getty Images
Image caption The blasts left scenes of carnage at a major airport and metro station
An armed police officer oversees queues of people waiting for a busImage copyright AP
Image caption Security was tightened and local and international transport links shut down
Rome's Trevi fountain lit up in the colours of the Belgian flagImage copyright AFP
Image caption By nightfall some of Europe's best known tourist sites, including Rome's Trevi fountain were lit in the colours of the Belgian flag
US President Barack Obama called the blasts "outrageous attacks against innocent people" while the 28 EU leaders - in a joint statement - said the bombings were an "attack on our open, democratic society".
The UN Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, said the attacks showed the urgent need to "extinguish the fire of war" in Syria so the focus could turn to IS.
International landmarks, such as the Trevi fountain in Rome and the Eiffel Tower, have been lit up in the colours of the Belgian flag in tribute to the victims.

Were you at Zaventem airport or Maelbeek metro station? If it is safe for you to do so, please share your eyewitness accounts to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
You can also contact us in the following ways:
Read the terms and conditions.
Or use the form below
Your contact details
If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a telephone number that we can contact you on. In some cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. When sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions.
Terms and conditions

No comments:

Post a Comment