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2015 Brussels lockdown

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2015 Brussels lockdown
Location of Brussels within Belgium
TypeLockdown
Location
Brussels, Belgium
ObjectivePrevention of an imminent Paris-style attack and capture of fugitive Salah Abdeslam
Date21 November 2015 (2015-11-21) – present

On 21 November 2015, the government of Belgium imposed a security lockdown on Brussels, including the closure of shops, schools, public transportation, due to information about potential terrorist attacks in the wake of the series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris by supporters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on November 13.[1][2][3][4][5] One of the perpetrators of the attack, Belgian-born French national Salah Abdeslam, was thought to be hiding in the city. As a result of warnings of a serious and imminent threat, the terror alert level was raised to the highest level (four) across the Brussels metropolitan area, and people were advised not to congregate publicly, effectively putting the city under lockdown.[1][2][4][5]

Impact

On the first day of the lockdown, Haaretz described, "an atmosphere of war. Army convoys passed through the streets. Armored cars were posted at central points, outside the royal palace, and at underground railway stations."[6] Police requested a social media blackout to prevent disclosure of police operations. Twitter users responded with cat pictures[7] (a reference to security level Four, or in French, Quatre pronounced Cat).[8]

On Monday, 23 November, the third day of the lockdown, all schools and universities remained closed along with the subway. Prime Minister Charles Michel announced that the lockdown measures would stay in place, "for at least another week. But schools and the metro can be reopened gradually from Wednesday.",[9][10][11]

The lockdown caused disruption to major institutions and organizations headquartered in the city, such as NATO, which removed all non-essential personnel on Monday, and the European Union, which opened on Monday with reinforced security measures. Belgium's biggest bank KBC Bank entirely closed its headquarters on Monday.[12]

As the lockdown continued into its third day, the BBC described the city as having "come to a standstill."[citation needed]

Arrests and charges

A reported 1,000 police officers were involved in the search for Salah Abdeslam[13] Over the weekend police conducted at least 20 raids around the city and nearby areas, making 16 arrests but releasing 15 of these people.[14] Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said November 23 that a man had been charged with involvement in the Paris terrorist attacks and for membership of a terrorist organization.[15] On Monday 21 more arrests were made, with 17 released.[14]

On Tuesday, evening prosecutors announced terrorism charges had been filed against four men:

  • Hamza Attou and Mohammed Amri. Lawyers for these two men said they had admitted driving Salah Abdeslam from Paris to Brussels after the Paris attacks but said they had nothing to do with the attacks.
  • "Ali O.", a 31-year-old French national who lived in Molenbeek neighborhood of Brussels.
  • "Lazez A".", a 39-year-old Moroccan also from Molenbeek arrested on Nov. 19. Two pistols and traces of blood were found in his car.[16]

Precedents

Extended lockdowns of entire urban areas have been rare, a decision the European press have called "unprecedented".[9][17] The extent of the lockdown went well beyond measures taken the last time Belgium declared a level four alert in 2007.[18] One previous example of a city-wide lockdown was the one-day lockdown of Boston in April 2013 as police hunted for the Islamist terrorists responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing.[19][20][21] Another example for a different reason, namely due to a swine flu outbreak, was the lockdown of Mexico City in April 2009.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Brussels in lockdown after terror threat level is raised to maximum". The Guardian. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Brussels shutdown as manhunt for Paris fugitive Abdeslam continues". BBC News. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Paris attacks: Brussels on high alert". BBC News. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  4. ^ a b Higgins, Andrew; de Freytas-Tamura, Kimiko (21 November 2015). "Brussels Placed at Highest Alert Level; Subway Is Closed". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b Jamieson, Alastair; Winter, Tom; Akyavas, Aziz; Lavanga, Claudio (21 November 2015). "Brussels on Terror Lockdown Amid Threat of Paris-Style Attack". NBC News. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  6. ^ Papirblat, Shlomo (21 November 2015). "Terror Alert Turns Brussels Into a Dead City on War Footing". Haaretz. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  7. ^ Rogers, Katie (23 November 2015). "Twitter Cats to the Rescue in Brussels Lockdown". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  8. ^ Tutt, Phillip; Pramuk, Jacob (23 November 2015). "Brussels lockdown: Highest alert level maintained". CNBC. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  9. ^ a b Burke, Jason (23 November 2015). "Brussels to stay in lockdown 'for at least another week'". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  10. ^ Höchste Terrorwarnstufe in Brüssel verlängert , zeit, 23.11.2015
  11. ^ "Brussels lockdown: How is city affected by terror threat?". BBC. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  12. ^ Doyle, Ian Wishart; Dara, John Martens (23 November 2015). "Brussels Extends Lockdown as U.S. Issues Terror Alert". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  13. ^ Kiko Itasaka. "Brussels Lockdown: 1,000 Cops Hunt Paris Suspect Salah Abdeslam". NBC News.
  14. ^ a b "Brussels lockdown: Highest alert level maintained". CNBC. 22 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  15. ^ Drozdiak, Natalia; Steinhauser, Gabriele; Brussels, Valentina Pop in; Paris, Noemie Bisserbe in. "Suicide Vest Is New Clue in Terror Manhunt as Brussels Extends Lockdown". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  16. ^ Pop, Valentina; Fairless, Tom (24 November 2015). "Manhunt Expands to Include New Suspected Accomplice in Paris Attacks". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  17. ^ "European press responds to 'unprecedented' Brussels events". BBC News. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  18. ^ "Brussels deserted as terrorist manhunt widens". CNBC. 22 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  19. ^ "This Is What It Looks Like When the Police Shut Down a City". The Atlantic Wire. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  20. ^ "A Town Under Siege: Watertown Residents Describe Life Under Lockdown". Time. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  21. ^ "Boston faces lockdown as police hunt for marathon bombing suspect". The Guardian. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  22. ^ "Brussels Lockdown: Look at Other Cities Shut by Emergencies". ABC News. 23 November 2015.
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