Security tightened across Europe

[webfact]

Security tightened across Europe



BRUSSELS: -- The explosions in Brussels have resulted in heightened security at airports, train and bus stations, ports and other public places around Europe.

German police said patrols and checks have been stepped up across the country particularly at transport hubs and along the borders with Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Hundreds of flights and trains into the Belgian capital were cancelled. Brussels airport was to remain completely shut on Wednesday and checkpoints were increased on roads between France and Belgium.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said an extra 1,600 police are being deployed there at border checkpoints, and also on air, sea and rail transport infrastructure.

There will be 400 additional police officers out in the greater Paris area, and military patrols will be refocused on public transport sites, the minister said.

The Netherlands, Greece, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Finland announced similar security measures.

Eurostar temporarily halted all train services via the Channel Tunnel to Brussels Midi station. They only went as far as Lille in northern France.

There are increased patrols at the Eurostar terminus at St Pancras in London, and at UK airports, with the British government advising UK citizens to avoid all but essential travel to Brussels.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-03-23

[trogers]

The prelude to the emergence of the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns, and then the Antichrist...

[webfact]

Fear of bloody attacks becomes part of life in Europe
By KARL RITTER

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Paris, Copenhagen, Brussels. In just over a year three European capitals have been ravaged by bombs and gunfire.

After each attack life slowly returns to normal. But it's a new normal for Europe, where terror alerts are always on high and where people in cities so far spared major violence assume it's a matter of when, not if.

"With each atrocity that occurs we change," said Ian Duncan, a Scottish member of the European Parliament in Brussels. "We become less open. We pull down barriers and close doors. But it is a direction we are following now."

The carnage in Brussels on Tuesday came as Europe was still reeling from the November attacks by Islamic militants in Paris that killed 130 people. In the following months France and Belgium have looked like countries at least partially at war, with soldiers in the streets, lockdowns and deadly shootouts with militants.

The rest of Europe has watched with trepidation.

"These were attacks in Belgium. They could just as well be attacks in Britain or France or Germany or elsewhere in Europe," British Prime Minister David Cameron told the BBC on Tuesday. He said Britain's threat level remains "severe," meaning an attack is considered highly likely.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks at the Brussels airport and in the city's subway that left dozens dead and scores more wounded.

French President Francois Hollande said the attacks targeted all of Europe and he warned of a long "war" ahead.

Though people in Western Europe have dealt with the threat of violence from Muslim extremists as well as homegrown nationalist and revolutionary movements for decades, the idea that a "war" is playing out in their streets is hard to imagine. But the recent frequency and scale of attacks have made some Europeans feel that it's just something they have to get used to.

"Five years ago you didn't think about it so much," said Francesca Cervellini, a 20-year-old Italian tourist as she passed by the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm. "It didn't happen so often before. Now it's everyday life. It's normal."

In Moscow, security has been tightened notably at everyday locations in the wake of a series of attacks in the past 15 years. There are metal detectors at the entrances to all subway stations, all passenger rail stations do luggage scans, most indoor shopping centers have metal detectors and glowering guards. Airports do luggage scans at the entrance.

In Western Europe people are more reluctant to trade civil liberties and an open society for more security. But after each attack that equation changes, at least temporarily, said Catherine Muller, of the Institute of Development Studies in Brighton, England.

"Terrorism is one of the risks people normally overestimate because it is very scary and has a strong emotional effect," said Muller.

While those fears are perfectly understandable, she said, it's important to remember that "no matter what policies or laws are in place, there's not going to be 100 percent security."

In Germany the fear of terrorism is less acute than in France or Belgium, but the risk of such attacks is something far-right and nationalist groups focus on a lot, especially in connection with the influx of migrants from the Middle East.

There haven't been any attacks by Islamic extremists in Germany since Arid Uka shot dead two American servicemen at Frankfurt airport in 2011. However there have been several attempted attacks that failed or were foiled.

German mainstream politicians have also been at pains to point out that Germany is a target for Islamic extremists and it's probably a matter of when, not if, such an attack happens.

Even in small countries on Europe's periphery the same fears are palpable.

Denmark witnessed an attack in February last year, when a gunman, apparently inspired by the Charlie Hebdo shooting massacre in Paris a few weeks earlier, opened fire against a free-speech seminar and outside a synagogue.

Sweden hasn't seen an attack since a suicide bomber blew himself up in Stockholm in December 2010, but failed to kill anyone else. But reports of hundreds of extremists from Sweden joining Islamic State fighters in Syria and last year's unprecedented influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa have sparked concerns that an attack will happen sooner or later.

"It could happen tomorrow or in a year or in five years," said Dani Amouri, a 23-year-old Stockholm resident who left Lebanon five years ago. "In Sweden, Denmark, Germany, everywhere. There is no peace in the world anymore. Not even in Europe."

Duncan, who represents the Scottish Conservatives in the European Parliament, was supposed to give visitors from Scotland a tour of the European Parliament on Tuesday. Instead they had to stay in their hotels.

He said the violence made him think about what, if anything, one can do to be more vigilant when moving in public places without overreacting.

"It's not like a film where you can see the villain approaching," Duncan said. "Is it someone carrying a backpack? Is it someone who doesn't look like me? I can't tell you what I should try to avoid."
___

Associated Press writers James Heintz in Moscow and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-03-23

[NanLaew]

A lot of airports, especially in poorer countries or those with local political or terrorist unrest, have baggage pre-screening by x-ray as one enters the building but many, many more in the 'free world' don't. After the attack at Brussels airport where the suicide bombers apparently wheeled their deadly baggage into the Departures area, ahead of any bomb or explosive screening services, I can see big changes coming with baggage examination introduced at all airport entrances, a reduced number of secured entrances and the recommendation to add at least one more hour to the already excessively long pre-flight, check-in security rigmarole. Currently, airport security is all about preventing bombs being loaded on aircraft. The daesh bombers in Brussels just changed all that.

[wabothai]

Reminds me of the paranoid months after the 9/11 attack. The US never got over it.

I hope the European leadership will be a bit smarter in handling the crisis than the clowns in charge before, during and after 9/11.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Yeah? well how many atrocities does it take to make us really fight back?. 'Cameron'? "We must all stand together! If thats alright with you".

[SgtRock]

Security tightened across Europe

The same useless rhetoric is rolled out time and time again after every atrocity.

By now security should be so tight that a rat should have difficulty moving.

Grow a set and start acting, while you still have the capability.

[Credo]

Yeah? well how many atrocities does it take to make us really fight back?. 'Cameron'? "We must all stand together! If thats alright with you".

And this is the crux of the problem. We must take preventative action and tighten security, but not fight back. We really don't know exactly who to fight. First, protect our citizens and countrymen and then go after those creating this mayhem. Infiltrate them, grant massive surveillance to those remotely involved in helping, assisting, knowing or supporting those involved in terrorism. Some individual rights will be trampled on, but the vast majority of people will be safe.

On Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, Safety and Security are higher up than abstract senses of individual rights or freedoms.

[Steely Dan]

Israel is the canary in the West's coal mine. Whatever they face Europe and the U.S will have to face to, in spite of their denial. Indeed whatever security measures Israel has to put in place will also follow in Europe, airport security being the obvious one here.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-brussels-attack-world-looks-to-israel-as-model-for-airport-security/

Incidentally as per the photo within, notice how the bombers were both wearing a glove on just one hand, presumably to hide the detonator.

[Felipesed]

After The attack on Pearl Harbor, the US government interned many thousands of people of Japanese descent.

It was unfair because most would have been patriotic to America, and also because similar measures were not taken against those of German and Italian origin.

However, it was done, and perhaps it should be repeated in areas of Europe.

Muslims between the ages of 16 and 50, those that arrived as immigrants claiming asylum, those without verifiable employment etc.

Once interned, thorough screening of their identity, origin, beliefs could be carried out, followed by rapid deportation, and loss of any acquired citizenship, for those who may be a risk.

Very harsh, but what is the alternative?

[Chicog]

Israel is the canary in the West's coal mine. Whatever they face Europe and the U.S will have to face to, in spite of their denial. Indeed whatever security measures Israel has to put in place will also follow in Europe, airport security being the obvious one here.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-brussels-attack-world-looks-to-israel-as-model-for-airport-security/

Incidentally as per the photo within, notice how the bombers were both wearing a glove on just one hand, presumably to hide the detonator.

Alternatively perhaps they were just very keen Michael Jackson fans.

[Chicog]

After The attack on Pearl Harbor, the US government interned many thousands of people of Japanese descent.

It was unfair because most would have been patriotic to America, and also because similar measures were not taken against those of German and Italian origin.

However, it was done, and perhaps it should be repeated in areas of Europe.

Muslims between the ages of 16 and 50, those that arrived as immigrants claiming asylum, those without verifiable employment etc.

Once interned, thorough screening of their identity, origin, beliefs could be carried out, followed by rapid deportation, and loss of any acquired citizenship, for those who may be a risk.

Very harsh, but what is the alternative?

If I recall, the 7/7 bombers were considered decent family men in their communities, with young children.

Yet they were easily radicalised.

People need to call Islam what it is, like other religions: Brainwashing.

If you cannot identify your enemy, you cannot fight it.

[Felipesed]

True, but by removing those Imams etc who do the radicalising, the spread of this cancer can be slowed down.

[FredNL]

Security in the Netherlands: 0 out of 5 !!!
Why should IS shit in their own living room???

[Steely Dan]

Israel is the canary in the West's coal mine. Whatever they face Europe and the U.S will have to face to, in spite of their denial. Indeed whatever security measures Israel has to put in place will also follow in Europe, airport security being the obvious one here.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-brussels-attack-world-looks-to-israel-as-model-for-airport-security/

Incidentally as per the photo within, notice how the bombers were both wearing a glove on just one hand, presumably to hide the detonator.

Alternatively perhaps they were just very keen Michael Jackson fans.

That in its own right could warrant a total lockdown.

[Steely Dan]

Here is some excellent analysis about the failings of Belgian security, the observation below concerning the reflexive defenders of Muslims is spot on too.

You’re doing Muslims no favors by infantilizing them. In a moment I’ll get to why “protectors of Muslims” are idiotic bigots.

http://www.thomaswictor.com/blather-symbolism-weakness-denial/

[connda]

Get ready for "Shock and Awe 2.0" in Syria. However, "Shock and Awe - Iraq" didn't have S-400 implementing a defacto no-fly zone around Baghdad. Revelation followers should be preparing for their post-Damascus-leveling 'rapture'. "Shock and Awe" may look like mushroom-shaped blow-back this time around though.

"And now I am become Shiva, destroyer of worlds."

-- Robert Oppenheimer

[tomacht8]

Europe should proclaim martial law for 3 months.
Massive house searches of already captured, convicted or in computerized systems known Jihad sympathizers.
End the bla bla.
Act!

[mopar71]

After The attack on Pearl Harbor, the US government interned many thousands of people of Japanese descent.

It was unfair because most would have been patriotic to America, and also because similar measures were not taken against those of German and Italian origin.

However, it was done, and perhaps it should be repeated in areas of Europe.

Muslims between the ages of 16 and 50, those that arrived as immigrants claiming asylum, those without verifiable employment etc.

Once interned, thorough screening of their identity, origin, beliefs could be carried out, followed by rapid deportation, and loss of any acquired citizenship, for those who may be a risk.

Very harsh, but what is the alternative?

There were interment camps for Italians and Germans in WWII. They just weren't nearly as big as the Japanese ones.

I agree though, Europe is going to have to make some tough decisions regarding its Muslim immigrants.

The current leadership of Europe should see the writing on the wall and do things they find distasteful otherwise risk losing power and inviting even worse.

What I mean is, the writing on the wall is the rise of the far right across Europe due to policies of the the left. The current leadership, in order to stay in power and protect the Muslim population, should do similar to what you suggest. It may not be pleasant medicine to swallow, but not doing it could result in the far right coming to power and doing worse...(doing worse for Muslim immigrants, not necessarily worse for Europe.)

[mopar71]

Here is some excellent analysis about the failings of Belgian security, the observation below concerning the reflexive defenders of Muslims is spot on too.

You’re doing Muslims no favors by infantilizing them. In a moment I’ll get to why “protectors of Muslims” are idiotic bigots.

http://www.thomaswictor.com/blather-symbolism-weakness-denial/

from the link:

"Belgian secret services located Europe’s most wanted man to a Brussels flat two days after the Paris attacks but bungled his capture because they were not allowed to raid the premises between 9pm and 5am, according to reports."

Sorry, but some people invite bad things to happen to them. If the above is true, the Belgian lawmakers bear some of the responsibility for the attacks.