Brussels Zaventem airport rocked by two explosions

[Thorgal]

Islamic State claims attacks at Brussels airport and metro station

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the two bomb attacks that killed at least 30 people and injured more than 230 in the departure hall of Brussels’ Zaventem airport and a metro station in the Belgian capital on Tuesday.

The Isis-affiliated news agency AMAQ said its fighters carried out “a series of bombings with explosive belts and devices”. It also said the extremists opened fire at the airport and that “several of them” detonated suicide belts in both attacks.

In the latest terror attack to hit continental Europe, two blasts targeted the main hall of the airport at about 8am, with a third detonating in the Maelbeek metro station, about 100 metres from the headquarters of the European commission, just over an hour later, during the morning rush-hour.

Read more here - Theguardian

The metro station attack was not done by a suicider. The terrorist is still on the run.

The 3rd one from Zaventem didn't kill himself: he's also on the run...

A machine gun was found next to one of the dead terrorists in the airport.

[stickylies]

I recall a statement from many months ago stating that BELGIUM WILL BE THE FIRST EUROPEAN COUNTRY TO ENACT SHARIA LAW. The premise rested on the fact that Belgium has one of the highest (or the highest) % of Muslims. This horrible bombing is a preview.

Islam is the second largest religion in Belgium, accounting for 5 to 7% of the total population[1] (If all immigrants with Islamic backgrounds are included, Muslims' share of the population rises to 8.1% as of 2011).[2] Muslims are concentrated in certain regions of the country, constituting 23.6% of the population in Brussels, but just 4.0% in Wallonia and 3.9% in Flanders. (wikipedia)

Even if they were with 10% they can NEVER get sharia as the rest (90% !!) will not allow that. I can't be bothered to look up where you come from and what your contributions here on TVF are but your comment above is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo simplistic. Almost as simplistic as the very clowns who blow themselves up in the name of their imagined friend

Just look what have happened in Kosovo in last 80 years. Serbs are minority now, same can happen in Belgium.

Things change. Feel free to ask the pre-45 german jews or the Palestinians since the conception of Israel or the aboriginals or the native Americans... Political correctness and apologism is stupid. Populist rightwing rhetoric is stupid. Religion in general is stupid. I know one thing for sure. Its not my generation that brought scores of middle-age-like Muslims in to do the dirty jobs. Its the generation of the biggest complainers now who brought them here without considering the consequences. The context is much bigger complexer than most posters here can understand.

[csabo]

How the hell did they smuggle bombs inside an airport. If this happened in Thailand all barstool investigators here would be mocking the Thai police and calling Thailand a 3rd world country. I guess Thailand is much safer than Europe.

Umm put them in a backpack and walk through the door marked "Entrance"??

[jesimps]

Time to take our homelands back............This shit will never stop all the time WE bend over.......

So....you are heading back then....to the homeland...?

As an ex soldier I will if it comes to a fight against the muslim jihadists. Even at 72yoa. I can see by some of the comments on here there would be a few 'conchies'.

[csabo]

And they say atheists are dangerous? Memberships must be skyrocketing. Thanks Allah!

[jesimps]

In February, 1970 I arrived in Kabul and spend the next 2 1/2 years in Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. At the time, I could speak, read, read and write Farsi and Dari, and had some ability in Pashto as well.

Mohammed Zahir Shah was King of Afghanistan, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was Shah of Iran, and there were no jihadist movements, no al-Qaeda, no Taliban. The US and Russia were keeping watch and funding whoever they thought would promote their respective interests, but there was no significant overt or covert intervention in Afghanistan or Iran.

Three things that I will never forget.

One - near Jalalabad in Afghanistan, the government had built a bridge in a remote area over the Kunar river. Shortly after it was completed, the villagers living nearby destroyed it with explosives. I was passing through the area, and I asked what had happened and why. The answer was, "If there is a bridge, outsiders will come and see our women."

Two - on the way to Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan by road, the bus reached a river that had flooded and passage was impossible. Every one got off the bus and appeared to be setting up campsites. I asked the driver how long it would be before the flood receded and we could continue. He replied, "Maybe two months."

Three - in Kandahar, Afghanistan, I stayed at a "hotel" for a few weeks and became acquainted with the owner. He was exceptionally kind and helpful to me. One evening, we were sitting and talking. I asked him how Afghan people in general felt about foreigners, because at that time we were very few and far between other than in Kabul. He said "If we like you, we love you. If we don't like you, we will kill you."

So, none of what is happening now surprises me in the least. What was true then is still true today. Islamic fundamentalists do not have the same world-view as Westerners, they are patient and willing to endure long-term hardship in order to achieve their goals, and since they do not like us, they are going to kill us.

I have absolutely no idea how the Western world can solve this problem, because I fear that there is no middle-ground whatsoever between Western ideals and Islamic fundamentalism.

There will never be any middle ground which is why these people should not be allowed access to the West.

Trump, whilst perhaps not using the most elegant language to express his thoughts and ideas, is correct.

sorry but how come you guys found a middle ground in Thailand with Thai people?

or maybe you are here just for some bum bum sex tourism then

how do feel if thais accuse all farang as pedophiles just bc some farang come here and do despicable act of child abuse?

i see these racist and discriminating comments but i leave the job to mods before getting banned.

...and want to think about the victims today in silent sadness for some minutes.

You're starting to babel pal, wind in your neck please.

[jesimps]

East is east and west is west and never the twain shall meet, now who said that?

and here you are in east in thailand enjoying life!

sure a shallow guy said that. after cheated by hoes at pattaya beach road.

Haven`t you started your "silent minutes" yet like you stated in your previous post ?

Wish he would.

[stickylies]

Time to take our homelands back............This shit will never stop all the time WE bend over.......

i'm sure the native americans think the same thing ...

All the Americas, whether north or south have European influx. Australia, New Zealand, you name it, just to live a life........This lot are killing for one reason only, which I do not have to post..

the muslims in my quarter, yes i live surrounded by them, live a life too, working, feeding children, eating and sh*tting just like u and me. they mean no harm. there's a serious problem with radical pyscho muslims, true, but out of 22% of the world population, muslims (1,5 billion), how many blow themselves up in airports ?

(Quote)....but out of 22% of the world population, muslims (1,5 billion), how many blow themselves up in airports ? (Unquote)

How many people who blow innocent people to bits at airports, shopping malls, train stations, on buses, in aircraft etc etc are not muslims? More pertinent I think.

A solid argument... The answer is these people believe in what they stand for and act. Unlike people behind a pc shouting to take back their home countries, while not even living in said home countries.

Now, as for pertinent. How many Muslims do no harm whatsoever to others? They believe in their imaginary friend and try to live their lives.

[Foexie]

How the hell did they smuggle bombs inside an airport. If this happened in Thailand all barstool investigators here would be mocking the Thai police and calling Thailand a 3rd world country. I guess Thailand is much safer than Europe.

It is trust me. I am a belgian citizen and the main reason i decided to move to Thailand is because it is much safer compared to Brussels. You dont want to live in Brussels, the "capital of europe" at the moment. So much tension, frustration and hate. Its very sad but we all know why it came so far.

@ Chimeln,

like you ever been checked BEFORE you step inside Suvarnabhumi. Everybody can bring a bomb inside unnoticed. Everytime i bring my gf to the car or taxi before i go home again i can walk in and out with even a small check. So easy to bring in more bags/bombs inside.

The only airports who check you at the door are some small airports. And i'm not even sure they all do it. A few years ago i walked in an airport ( not sure anymore what airport it was) without passing the metaldetector because i just wanna go to the car rental company but the ladies already started shouting and pointing at me and made sure i DID passed the security.

@ Wherma i'm Belgian too. And you're so right Thailand is so much safer. Never have bombs in the south or in Bkk. Almost daily you can read inhere about killings in the south or shootings all over Thailand.

As far i remember the last bombs exploded here in Belgium in the '80s (CCC).

And the last 5 y we had some shootings. One in 2011: a frustrated criminal who started shooting in Luik after he didn't wanna go back to the police. And the shooting in the musea in Brussel.

So i think it was fairly safe overhere before.

Regards,

[Thorgal]

A lot of solidarity and emotion on social media :

From Belgium :

Till Pakistan and beyond :

[prestburypark]

What is most dismal about this sorry state of affairs is that the general population has been predicting the rise of islam and Islamic fanaticism in Europe for years.

Generally by paying attention to the messages sent out by hate preachers in Mosques, Isil, The Muslim Brotherhood , Al Quaida and the average Muslim in your community

who have been pretty darned direct and to the point about what is coming.

Open and direct too about their plans to outbreed, outnumber and to bully and subjugate the populations in the countries where their parents, usually, were given the right of

abode.

Open and direct too about their complete and utter contempt for the populations of their host countries, the womenfolk especially, who they consider to be whores and strumpets and available to be raped and sexually abused at will...1400 child sex abuse cases against white girls by Pakistani men in one UK town alone , and more and more cases cropping up all the time.

All this has been noted by the people, and when the people talk to their representatives in Parliament, or equivalent , they have been told that they are right wing fascist agitators who do not accept multiculturalism and should make allowances for the different cultural behaviours of these "citizens", and that simply pointing out that there is a problem with islam in our societies is a hate crime far worse than the rape of our children and the attempted destruction of our civilisation.

Some cultures are inferior to other cultures, plain and simple . The west, i.e. UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and suchlike have evolved sophisticated cultures that have seen off the barbarities of religion, the hard way, through centuries of religious oppression, trial by ordeal, The Inquisition, Witch Hunts and burnings and all manner of ignorant and perverted power struggles by mass population manipulators to emerge, quite recently really, into a tolerant and on the whole, fair society or societies where people could live in relative safety from persecution by those in power in religion or government.

What is happening now, and is very clear to most down to earth and grounded people, not really panikers or conspiracy theorists, is an assault on our societies by those who only one or two generations ago were welcomed into and invited to be a productive part of our culture .

They have overwhelmingly rejected this invitation and staked their claim to overrun and subjugate us with their ignorant and vile prehistoric, evil and barbaric code of conduct, which accepts no criticism , rejection, debate , change from its original form, i.e. their will never, ever be, moderate islam, that is an oxymoron.

So why do the politicians not listen to the indigenous peoples worries? I am coming to the conclusion that politicians and the governing classes might be thinking: "what a great way to control the masses this Islam thing is" . Have hysterical hordes who have no reason, just blind faith police each other, any dissenters will be summarily executed, job done. Is that far fetched? Cos I don't see any fightback against these infiltrators in our societies, and speaking out against them is a hate crime still.

Just saying.

Edited March 22, 2016 by prestburypark

[Nicolas32]

What is most dismal about this sorry state of affairs is that the general population has been predicting the rise of islam and Islamic fanaticism in Europe for years.

Generally by paying attention to the messages sent out by hate preachers in Mosques, Isil, The Muslim Brotherhood , Al Quaida and the average Muslim in your community

who have been pretty darned direct and to the point about what is coming.

Open and direct too about their plans to outbreed, outnumber and to bully and subjugate the populations in the countries where their parents, usually, were given the right of

abode.

Open and direct too about their complete and utter contempt for the populations of their host countries, the womenfolk especially, who they consider to be whores and strumpets and available to be raped and sexually abused at will...1400 child sex abuse cases against white girls by Pakistani men in one UK town alone , and more and more cases cropping up all the time.

All this has been noted by the people, and when the people talk to their representatives in Parliament, or equivalent , they have been told that they are right wing fascist agitators who do not accept multiculturalism and should make allowances for the different cultural behaviours of these "citizens", and that simply pointing out that there is a problem with islam in our societies is a hate crime far worse than the rape of our children and the attempted destruction of our civilisation.

Some cultures are inferior to other cultures, plain and simple . The west, i.e. UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and suchlike have evolved sophisticated cultures that have seen off the barbarities of religion, the hard way, through centuries of religious oppression, trial by ordeal, The Inquisition, With Hunts and burnings and all manner of ignorant and perverted power struggles by mass manipulators to emerge, quite recently really, into a tolerant and on the whole, fair society or societies where people could live in relative safety from persecution by those in power in religion or government.

What is happening now, and is very clear to most down to earth and grounded people, not really panikers or conspiracy theorists, is an assault on our societies by those who only one or two generations ago were welcomed into and invited to be a productive part of our culture . They have overwhelmingly rejected this invitation and staked their claim to overrun and subjugate us with their ignorant and vile prehistoric, evil and barbaric code of conduct, which accepts no criticism , rejection, debate , change from its original form, i.e. their will never, ever be, moderate islam, that is an oxymoron.

So why do the politicians not listen to the indigenous peoples worries? I am coming to the conclusion that politicians and the governing classes might be thinking: "what a great way to control the masses this Islam thing is" . Have hysterical hordes who have no reason, just blind faith police each other, any dissenters will be summarily executed, job done. Is that far fetched? Cos I don't see any fightback against these infiltrators in our societies, and speaking out against them is a hate crime still.

Just saying.

True ...

Am just watching this really good insight

With critical testimony from informed insiders and experts from across three continents, as well as original footage from Syria and Iraq, this series mixes documentary and discussion to unravel the interweaving nexus of events and alliances, at once aligned and conflicting, that have given rise to the world's most notorious, and powerful, insurgent group.

[chuckd]

How the hell did they smuggle bombs inside an airport. If this happened in Thailand all barstool investigators here would be mocking the Thai police and calling Thailand a 3rd world country. I guess Thailand is much safer than Europe.

The majority of airports around the world are soft targets prior to check-in and security.

Generally, the departure areas are largely unrestricted and unchecked as passengers queue to check-in.

True, but now that will change. Just as the shoe bomber caused tens of millions of passengers since then to have their shoes checked, and the liquid bomber (stymied by excellent work by Scotland Yard) has caused a billion passengers to throw away liquids .....this new atrocity will compel all airports to tighten security for entry to their 'common halls'.

I recall a statement from many months ago stating that BELGIUM WILL BE THE FIRST EUROPEAN COUNTRY TO ENACT SHARIA LAW. The premise rested on the fact that Belgium has one of the highest (or the highest) % of Muslims. This horrible bombing is a preview.

Was this New York Times article the one you read?

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Donald Trump Finds New City to Insult: Brussels

By DAN BILEFSKY and CLAIRE BARTHELEMY

JAN. 27, 2016

LONDON — He incensed Paris and London by saying that some of their neighborhoods were so overrun with radicals that the police were too scared to enter.

He raised Scottish tempers by threatening to pull the plug on his investments there, including his luxury golf courses, if British politicians barred him from entering Britain.

Now Donald J. Trump has upset the already beleaguered people of Belgium, calling its capital, Brussels, “a hellhole.”

Read more here: http://www.nytimes.c...ssels.html?_r=1

--------------------------------------------------------------------

In the interview, Trump goes on to respond to a question with...

"There is something going on, Maria,” he said. “Go to Brussels. Go to Paris. Go to different places. There is something going on and it’s not good, where they want Shariah law, where they want this, where they want things that — you know, there has to be some assimilation. There is no assimilation. There is something bad going on.”

[EyesWideOpen]

Clearly the Muslim world is at war with the western world.

Time for the western world to wake up and fight back.

And step one is to control immigration. Allowing all the

Muslim lunatics to freely enter the country is about the

same as the chickens allowing a fox into the hen house

and then the chickens complain about the fox eating them.

Or I guess do nothing, and the new reality is you simply

accept the risk of being blown up at any public gathering...

[Jblood]

NATO needed a pretext to start a ground invasion in Syria, now they got it. All the Western intelligence agencies were involved in this covert op... It's all very simple. A couple of days later after they do "investigation" of this incident - CNN headline will read something like "Is it time to deal with ISIS?" or whatever, I mean it's always something very verbatim stupid and simplistic for the muppet audience... 3 days later Obama will do a speech - as usual reading from the teleprompter "Blah blah blah, it's time to act... la-la-la, we stand with Belgium, something about the western values as usual"... They'll probably be sending ground troops to Syria end of Spring...

You can start the "NATO Ground Invasion in Syria" topic already, the future is so easy to predict lately...

[stickylies]

my warm-hearthed solidarity with belgians and other victims...

tonight at sticky lies mansion:

[Asheron]

NATO needed a pretext to start a ground invasion in Syria, now they got it. All the Western intelligence agencies were involved in this covert op... It's all very simple. A couple of days later after they do "investigation" of this incident - CNN headline will read something like "Is it time to deal with ISIS?" or whatever, I mean it's always something very verbatim stupid and simplistic for the muppet audience... 3 days later Obama will do a speech - as usual reading from the teleprompter "Blah blah blah, it's time to act... la-la-la, we stand with Belgium, something about the western values as usual"... They'll probably be sending ground troops to Syria end of Spring...

You can start the "NATO Ground Invasion in Syria" topic already, the future is so easy to predict lately...

The bodies don't even have rigor mortis yet and already the conspiracy people are out...

[benalibina]

Inevitable.......self fulfilling prophecy.

[Tywais]

Bomb And IS Flag Found In Brussels Raids

A bomb containing nails has been found along with an Islamic State flag in police raids in Brussels, according to prosecutors.

The discovery was made during a search of an apartment carried out hours after the Belgian terror attacks, which killed at least 34 people.

"The searches that took place in the Schaerbeek (district) found an explosive device containing among other things nails," the federal prosecutor said in a statement.

"Investigators also discovered chemicals and a flag of the Islamic State," the statement added.

A series of raids are taking place across Brussels in connection with two bomb blasts at Zaventem Airport and an explosion at Maalbeek metro station.

More here - news.sky

[Tywais]

[bluemoonpattaya]

[sunnyjim5]

Bomb And IS Flag Found In Brussels Raids

A bomb containing nails has been found along with an Islamic State flag in police raids in Brussels, according to prosecutors.

The discovery was made during a search of an apartment carried out hours after the Belgian terror attacks, which killed at least 34 people.

"The searches that took place in the Schaerbeek (district) found an explosive device containing among other things nails," the federal prosecutor said in a statement.

"Investigators also discovered chemicals and a flag of the Islamic State," the statement added.

A series of raids are taking place across Brussels in connection with two bomb blasts at Zaventem Airport and an explosion at Maalbeek metro station.

More here - news.sky

Let us hope the security forces are freed from the dead hand of "political correctness" . The terror nest must be flushed out.

The UK's terror alert level is set at "Severe Risk". I hope similar security activity is taking place there and in every European country.

[tomacht8]

Danger Islam? It is time to think about it.

No country with a Muslim majority (more than 30 worldwide) has a truly democratic government. In not a few of these states, or parts of them there is a bloody civil war: Syria, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mali, Yemen, Sudan, Indonesia, Somalia.

In any country with a Muslim majority, there is no real freedom of religion for Christians or other non-Islamic religions.

In some states where the followers of the Koran form a strong minority, terrorist groups are active, they are destabilizing with guerrilla tactics and terrorist attacks from the underground the States: Philippines, Thailand, India, China, Russia and Myanma

In a number of European countries where Muslims represent only small minorities, they recruiting terrorist organizations cadres and cells for the "jihad" at any of the numerous Islamist fronts. Cells that are active with spectacular attacks in their host countries.

Heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the last terrorist attack.

It's time to fight back and not always to hold out just the other cheek.

Why not apply against Islamism, which was applied against Nazism and Communism?
When it came, to oppose the spreading Nazism or Communism, was discussed extensively and the ideology analyzed.
With the Islamic extremism that seems everything else.
The Islam against its commitment in the western states a strange reluctance on. At least in the published discourse.
Islam critical opinions are indeed in the air, but are excluded from official discourse. Why?

Edited March 22, 2016 by tomacht8

[wellred]

Over the years we have become aware of the extent to which our governments have invaded our privacy. With that in mind I am surprised that terrorists have managed to orchestrate not 1 but 2 large scale attacks on major Europeans cities within the space of 6 months.

They need to ditch the Shengen agreement. They need to start registering and tracking all Muslims around the world.

They also need to put boots on the ground to tackle Daesh. And I don't mean US or NATO boots either. Saudi Arabia is very happy to use British weapons to bomb Lebanon so how about they get off their sandy <deleted> and go sort out the mess in Syria.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thechook]

The world has to stop being terrified of being called a racist if you speak out about this evil barbaric cult. Put down the political correctness card which is destroying lives and wipe this evil cult off the planet.

[metisdead]

A number of inflammatory posts, off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[katana]

Je Suis Bruxelles: A terrorist attack has happened in Europe. Let the standard response begin…Douglas Murray - The Spectator 22/03/16
Well at least we all know the form by now. This morning Islamist suicide-bombers struck one of the few European capitals they haven’t previously hit in a mass-casualty terrorist attack.
The standard response now goes as follows.
Continued
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/a-terrorist-attack-has-happened-in-europe-let-the-standard-response-begin/

Edited March 23, 2016 by Scott
Edited for Fair Use

[ravip]

Never trust a man that does not drink and eat bacon.

Today we have chicken and beef bacon for convenience.

Which are you referring to?

:-)

[Yunla]

Danger Islam? It is time to think about it.

No country with a Muslim majority (more than 30 worldwide) has a truly democratic government. In not a few of these states, or parts of them there is a bloody civil war: Syria, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mali, Yemen, Sudan, Indonesia, Somalia.

In any country with a Muslim majority, there is no real freedom of religion for Christians or other non-Islamic religions.

In some states where the followers of the Koran form a strong minority, terrorist groups are active, they are destabilizing with guerrilla tactics and terrorist attacks from the underground the States: Philippines, Thailand, India, China, Russia and Myanma

In a number of European countries where Muslims represent only small minorities, they recruiting terrorist organizations cadres and cells for the "jihad" at any of the numerous Islamist fronts. Cells that are active with spectacular attacks in their host countries.

Heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the last terrorist attack.

It's time to fight back and not always to hold out just the other cheek.

Why not apply against Islamism, which was applied against Nazism and Communism?

When it came, to oppose the spreading Nazism or Communism, was discussed extensively and the ideology analyzed.

With the Islamic extremism that seems everything else.

The Islam against its commitment in the western states a strange reluctance on. At least in the published discourse.

Islam critical opinions are indeed in the air, but are excluded from official discourse. Why?

You mention Syria in your list of Muslim nations that do not tolerate other religions. You should know that the Syrian constitution guarantees religious freedoms for all religions, including Christians. Syria, before the destabilisation efforts of recent years, was tolerant towards all religions. Saddam's Iraq was also tolerant towards all religions, before it was destabilised. Gaddafi's Libya was also tolerant towards all religions, before it was destabilised. These nations had people of all faiths practicing their religion. The West is entirely complicit in these and other destabilisations, the rise of anger and bitterness in those nations, and the genocidal war crimes in those nations.

Yemen is a disaster area now, but again, the West sells trillions of dollars of arms to the Saudis, who are bombing Yemen. Again, western leaders are complicit in destabilisation and horrific war crimes by proxy. One can only wonder what they expected to happen in these shattered nations, or what it would do to any previously tolerant and peaceful moderates in those bombed communities.

I actually agree on many of the broader points in this thread, about the need for sensible levels of controlled immigration, the EU as a failed device, and the importance of strict law and order. But crimes committed are just that, they are criminal acts and should be dealt with by police, not by priests or internet valkyries. One of the main problems is that liberal leaders in Scandinavia and the UK do not have a strong enough position on crime and punishment, and this applies to their own criminals and of course immigrant crimes too. But these are criminal cases, they do not reflect the views of non-criminal people who happen to share the same faith (or lack of faith) as a given criminal.

People should also remember that crimes such as rape, paedophilia, wife-beating, these crimes have existed in Europe since forever, and in no small sum either. So any immigrants who commit these crimes should be viewed in the same bracket as the local criminals. These are law and order issues, not faith issues.

Muslim doctors and nurses have saved my life on one occasion, during my travels. It is hard for me to repay that gift of life by going around saying "all Muslims are bad." And then I also have a lot of Muslim friends, and their lovely families, who are funny and charming and very welcoming to me in their beautiful homes. They are not extremist criminals, and I feel it is disrespectful to bracket them alongside people who are.

[loogkreung]

I don't understand how western governments say we are at war with radical Islam on the one hand, and on the other think it's a good idea to allow millions of Muslims to come to Europe. It doesn't make sense. This is a religion with ideas incompatible with western culture, and surely these atrocities will only multiply the more we fill our cities with Islamic ghettos. What is also galling are people on this forum and Facebook who say "pray for Brussels" and "God bless those affected" when religion is the root cause of the problem!