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2016-03-22 Europe
Multiple injuries at Belgium airport after 2 explosion heard
Multiple people were reportedly injured in an explosion at a Belgium airport Tuesday morning after two explosions were heard, according to Sky News.

"I was in the duty free in Zaventem Airport and I heard two very, very loud explosions," an eyewitness told the UK based news agency.
Update at 0720 CT: Dear Lord. More from the AP here.
Update at 0730 CT: Apparently the first bomb hit the American Airlines check in counter at the Brussels Airport. Daily Mail UK story here.
Update at 1400 CT: ISIS, of course, claims responsibility. It will take some time to figure out if they're telling the truth or lying so as to confuse us. The count is now, per Belgian authorities, at at least 31 killed and under 200 injured.
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-03-22 03:54|| || Front Page|| [11154 views ]  Top
 File under: Islamic State 

#1 Flemish Buddhists, no doubt.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 05:17||   2016-03-22 05:17|| Front Page Top

#2 Ostendibly, yes.
Posted by Besoeker 2016-03-22 05:20||   2016-03-22 05:20|| Front Page Top

#3 Blast recorded at a Metro station close to the European Commission.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 05:22||   2016-03-22 05:22|| Front Page Top

#4 Station de métro Maelbeek
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 05:23||   2016-03-22 05:23|| Front Page Top

#5 Suicide attack confirmed for Brussels airport (13 confirmed dead at this time). No confirmed number of victims (10 at least) in the metro station, but since it was rush hour, casualties might be heavy.

Brussels has basically shut down, no public transport.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 06:01||   2016-03-22 06:01|| Front Page Top

#6 Looks like Belgium needs an Enoch Powell
Posted by Bright Pebbles 2016-03-22 06:28||   2016-03-22 06:28|| Front Page Top

#7 Photos and story at this link
Posted by 3dc 2016-03-22 06:30||   2016-03-22 06:30|| Front Page Top

#8 Someone at the link said 5 blasts....
Posted by Bright Pebbles 2016-03-22 06:52||   2016-03-22 06:52|| Front Page Top

#9 Intifada comes to Europe.
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-03-22 06:55||   2016-03-22 06:55|| Front Page Top

#10 Protected by their friends (probably illegal migrants) in the islamic colonies of Brussels.

If you're near a mosque there's a high risk of terrorism
Posted by Bright Pebbles 2016-03-22 07:00||   2016-03-22 07:00|| Front Page Top

#11 Air travel the target once again. Who could have known ?
Posted by Besoeker 2016-03-22 07:03||   2016-03-22 07:03|| Front Page Top

#12 Did Enoch Powell saved Britain?
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-03-22 07:13||   2016-03-22 07:13|| Front Page Top

#13 23 dead as of about an hour ago
Posted by lord garth 2016-03-22 07:43||   2016-03-22 07:43|| Front Page Top

#14 Not yet, but he looks like a prophet, to me.
Posted by Bobby 2016-03-22 07:43||   2016-03-22 07:43|| Front Page Top

#15 Enoch Powell, that is.
Posted by Bobby 2016-03-22 07:43||   2016-03-22 07:43|| Front Page Top

#16 If he helped get rid of Heath then he helped save Britain.
Posted by Bright Pebbles 2016-03-22 08:00||   2016-03-22 08:00|| Front Page Top

#17 If I recall in the Paris attacks the authorities used the Metro to transport the security and responders to the first attack scenes. I wonder if the secondary attacks in Belgium are a reaction to this.
Posted by airandee 2016-03-22 08:39||   2016-03-22 08:39|| Front Page Top

#18 Thank you very much to g(r)omgoru for posting this in the small hours of the night, and to European Conservative for the updates ditto. NBC News just interviewed an American who is in the airport now. He went there to see his girlfriend off on a flight back to the U.S. He reported two explosions within the airport, no knowledge of anything outside.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 08:43||   2016-03-22 08:43|| Front Page Top

#19 I woke up to Donald Trump being interviewed for his reaction. Mr. Wife reports he expressed no sympathy for the victims.

The reporter at the desk is now saying that there is more visible security, there is as yet no plans for changing how things are done. And almost 7,000 Europeans have gone to Syria and returned -- too many to keep track of. Compares to 70 in the U.S.

Free University of Brussels evacuating, schools on lockdown. Subways, busses locked down, cell phones not working -- service shut down so terrorists can't communicate? Chatter reduced in recent days.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 08:53||   2016-03-22 08:53|| Front Page Top

#20 @airandee

Rather not. The metro station was deliberately chosen because it's the closest to the EU Commission.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 09:01||   2016-03-22 09:01|| Front Page Top

#21 @trailing wife

Reading about Donald Trump's foreign policy "ideas", I'm not surprised. I know that some people on Rantburg support him, but this man is totally clueless when it comes to foreign policy issues.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 09:03||   2016-03-22 09:03|| Front Page Top

#22 Flemish TV reporting third suicide belt found, undetonated. Searching for whoever discarded it.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 09:04||   2016-03-22 09:04|| Front Page Top

#23 Business and politics are different skill sets, European Conservative. And New Yorkers can be astoundingly parochial, because the world comes to them.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 09:18||   2016-03-22 09:18|| Front Page Top

#24 @EC Having a clueless President will be a step on the right direction after a President who is on enemy's side.
Posted by Phaving Spaique8685 2016-03-22 09:21||   2016-03-22 09:21|| Front Page Top

#25 I note Putin was one of the first to offer condolences and help.
This while our prez. parties with the Castros.

Sigh.
Posted by 3dc 2016-03-22 09:28||   2016-03-22 09:28|| Front Page Top

#26 This clueless candidate will hand the next presidency to Hillary or - who knows - Bernie.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 09:32||   2016-03-22 09:32|| Front Page Top

#27 @trailing wife

Indeed. In foreign policy you can't just file a Chapter Eleven if you make a serious error.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 09:34||   2016-03-22 09:34|| Front Page Top

#28 he expressed no sympathy for the victims

It is important to distinguish between European elites---who are accessories to Islamic terrorism, and ordinary Europeans---who are complaisant victims.
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-03-22 09:53||   2016-03-22 09:53|| Front Page Top

#29  #18 TW, I can't take credit for "the small hours of the night" (+8)
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-03-22 09:55||   2016-03-22 09:55|| Front Page Top

#30  I can't take credit for "the small hours of the night" (+8)

Yes, you can, dear g(r)omgoru. You were up and posting when all here were asleep -- part of our lovely foreign (and domestic late to bed and early risers) contingent who enable just this kind of 24 hour coverage when we couldn't know it would be wanted in the small hours of our night.
*************************
According to NBC, doctors at the airport are reporting pulling nails from some of the wounded, presumably from the sucide belts.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 10:21||   2016-03-22 10:21|| Front Page Top

#31 President Obama is making a speech in Cuba right now. He is prefacing his remarks with a few sentences about the attacks in Brussels. Condolences, thoughts and prayers with the people of Belgium, Solidarity. Will defeat ISIS. All the right things.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 10:35||   2016-03-22 10:35|| Front Page Top

#32 Second that; my morning news, as it is, was puppy dogs and bunny whiskers.

I did find it interesting that Trump's opinion has already been asked, as this was a 2am event, if you will. I remember it took almost a week before anyone interrupted Dear Reader's Great Brazilian to ask about warships launching tomahawks at Libyan targets.

Suppose this is a reprisal for catching Sally a couple days ago?
Posted by swksvolFF 2016-03-22 10:42||   2016-03-22 10:42|| Front Page Top

#33 NBC: Explosive may be TATP -- "mother of satan"
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 10:46||   2016-03-22 10:46|| Front Page Top

#34 We can say all we want about trump. But the fact remains. Our leadership in Washington is corrup, does not care about the people they are supposed to represent, and are driving our nation into ruin. Our president is posing for pictures next to a mural of his childhood hero, his closest friends are supporters of terrorism, and he gave nukes to our number one enemy that for the last 30 years has had the sole focus of destroying America. Our congress has done nothing to stop him and have supported him at nearly every turn. The democrats put up a habitual liar and criminal as their front runner and a socialist/communist as their number two. The Republican Party has Ted Cruz and rhomney as their guys. And we are complaining about trump? Our government needs an overhaul and that comes in one of two ways. The first is to elect outsiders and destroy the status quo or the other is with armed revolution. No one wants the second, except maybe our current president. With both parties fighting to keep their corruption and fraternal biases in place it is clear to me our nation need a good hard look inward and our democracy needs to get the vermin rooted in Washington out of positions of power. Any other candidate than trump will keep business as usual going in DC and that is the last thing we need. If trump offends a few people along the way. So be it.
Posted by 49 pan 2016-03-22 11:09||   2016-03-22 11:09|| Front Page Top

#35 I mentioned that perhaps state responses can never work against non-state actors - only non-state response.
Then another suggested Letters of Marque for responses.

That's an interesting idea.
Posted by 3dc 2016-03-22 11:24||   2016-03-22 11:24|| Front Page Top

#36 Letters of Marque was how it used to be done.

The proxie/non-state war is not a 20th century concept.
Posted by swksvolFF 2016-03-22 11:41||   2016-03-22 11:41|| Front Page Top

#37 Let Baraq offer the condolences. At least Trump will not continue Baraq's policy of importing even more of these "Flemish Buddhists" to our country.
Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2016-03-22 11:54||   2016-03-22 11:54|| Front Page Top

#38 Trump is obviously affected by this or he wouldn't be so upset. Those who feel that because he doesn't care because he didn't say what they wanted to hear explicitly are just looking for excuses to hate him. Get over it. This man will take care of the problem if given half a chance.

0bean will only do so as a matter of political necessity. 0bean's main efforts so far have been to combat AGW and to diminish the role of the USA in the world in order to facilitate handing the reigns over to socialist and communist powers.
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 11:55||   2016-03-22 11:55|| Front Page Top

#39 Baraq has a mouthful of condolences for all the victims and all of their families after all of the attacks and yet the attacks continue. Gimme a president who will put a stop to it.
Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2016-03-22 11:56||   2016-03-22 11:56|| Front Page Top

#40 And I can't help thinking that Europeans know in their hearts what they need to do about it.
Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2016-03-22 11:58||   2016-03-22 11:58|| Front Page Top

#41 This recalls the Barbary Wars. The Euros diddled along paying the tribute. The Americans fought back and won.

This needs to be the approach to Isis, AlQ and all the other myriad scum.

Unfortunately there are too many cowards and appeasers and outright traitors among our "elite" to actually fight back properly. Given the current conditions GWB's half assed attempt is the best we can hope for and I doubt that we'll make it to that.
Posted by AlanC 2016-03-22 12:13||   2016-03-22 12:13|| Front Page Top

#42 I agree with much of your post #34, 49Pan, saving only this:

Our congress has done nothing to stop him and have supported him at nearly every turn.

The current and previous Congresses have had Republican majorities, but not enough to override a presidential veto. This limited what they were able to accomplish, given Democratic Congresscritters who toed firmly the party line. Also, the Republicans there have been divided between the long-term establishment and the tea party newcomers, the latter being numerous enough to prevent things they didn't want from getting done, but not enough -- and not organized and experienced enough -- to persuade the old hands to join them in making the things they did want happen.

John Boehner was not able to herd those cats. It remains to be seen whether his successor is more effective.

The Republican Party has Ted Cruz and rhomney as their guys.

Rubio was the GOP establishment's man this time round. They loathe Cruz, for reasons I fail to grasp. Governor Kasich has my dream resume: private industry, tapped to serve a previous president, Congress, governor. A shame he is the wrong man for the time, but he clearly is.

I'm grateful that Mr. Trump has moved the Overton Window, as they say (I'll look up the term one of these days), and forced discussion of a lot of things that needed to be discussed. My concern is that he is not a politician, only a user of politicians in exchange for donations, and that he'll be eaten alive by the Democrats and the bureaucrats if he wins. Look what they did to George W. Bush, who'd been the Republican governor of formerly Democratic Texas.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 12:35||   2016-03-22 12:35|| Front Page Top

#43 My view of trump is this. He's the anti-hillary "gimp"* to take her out and discuss all her problems and wear her out on the campaign trail.



*The Ice Hockey guy who takes out the opponents star player before being sin-binned.

/Politics
So what's the EUSSR going to do about the problems it's made?
Wonder if we'll be told by the MSM if any of the bombers and support network are from the "syrians"...
Posted by Bright Pebbles 2016-03-22 12:59||   2016-03-22 12:59|| Front Page Top

#44 @ European Conservative:

January 2016 – Donald Trump Warned Brussels, Belgium – The New York Times Mocked Him For It…
Posted by Vast Right Wing Conspiracy 2016-03-22 13:07||   2016-03-22 13:07|| Front Page Top

#45 Thanks TW. I always respect your comments. I am also worried that the machine will eat him alive. They hurt bush who I felt was a great man, not the best politician on his feet, but had the heart of an American lion. I think trump was will get the pacs on his side, it's all about the money, and they will control their respective congress critters.
Posted by 49 pan 2016-03-22 13:21||   2016-03-22 13:21|| Front Page Top

#46 Well, back to closed borders checking passports...already started in some Euro countries..
Posted by crazyhorse 2016-03-22 14:16||   2016-03-22 14:16|| Front Page Top

#47 Ynet has ISIS' claim of responsibility:

IS claimed responsibility in an online statement. “A number of Caliphate soldiers wearing explosive belts and carrying explosive devices and machine guns attacked places that were carefully chosen in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, and stormed the Brussels airport and the metro station and eliminated a large number of crusaders and then detonated their explosive belts,” read the statement. The statement included a typical threat: “We promise the crusading nations that have allied against the Islamic State that there will be black days in response t their aggression against the Islamic State. What is coming will be far more terrible, with the help of Allah.”

Dr. Steve's Daily Mail link last updated at 12:37 p.m. ET. They report three have been arrested in connection with the attack, and the police have CCTV footage of the airport suicide bombers in the act.

I'm going to keep this thread, the Daily Mail and CNN up today.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 14:39||   2016-03-22 14:39|| Front Page Top

#48 Overton Window
Posted by WarDoof 2016-03-22 14:59||   2016-03-22 14:59|| Front Page Top

#49 CNN reports raids in Schaerbeek, Brussels, home to large Turkish and Moroccan populations.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 15:06||   2016-03-22 15:06|| Front Page Top

#50 Overton Window

That didn't work as a link, WarDoof. What is the URL you intended?

I didn't say so yesterday, but welcome!
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 15:09||   2016-03-22 15:09|| Front Page Top

#51 @44 Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

“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.”

Sorry but that's a trivial "warning". Could apply to just about any place in the world.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 15:28||   2016-03-22 15:28|| Front Page Top

#52 Guess trump never read overton's window. That or he is trying to break the frame around it.
Posted by 49 pan 2016-03-22 15:29||   2016-03-22 15:29|| Front Page Top

#53 National Review, Trump & Overton Window

...and, thank you.
Posted by WarDoof 2016-03-22 15:30||   2016-03-22 15:30|| Front Page Top

#54 Sorry but that's a trivial "warning". Could apply to just about any place in the world.

Any place where there are Muslims. You're right, EC. It was all totally predictable, just not politically correct to predict it.
Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2016-03-22 15:42||   2016-03-22 15:42|| Front Page Top

#55 Just remember: He picked out France and Belgium in that order as examples. After about the first two, the rest will be "me-too"s.
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 15:46||   2016-03-22 15:46|| Front Page Top

#56 I could have done the same. Sorry I don't need to hear advice from a guy who wants to ban entry to all Muslims and at the same time builds a luxurious golf course in Dubai (and isn't even able to finish it in time).

Trump is a hypocrite, a fraud, and certainly not a Republican.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 15:53||   2016-03-22 15:53|| Front Page Top

#57 Is he a racist homophobe, too?
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 16:03||   2016-03-22 16:03|| Front Page Top

#58 As for Republicans, they are few and far between these days. They are opportunists just the same.
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 16:05||   2016-03-22 16:05|| Front Page Top

#59 I guess the crocodile isn't eating the last
Posted by regular joe 2016-03-22 16:12||   2016-03-22 16:12|| Front Page Top

#60 @#56: Unless Dubai nationals are planning on secreting themselves in golf bags bound for the US, don't see the connection.

That Mr. Trump has stated that we should temporarily (you did listen to him, right?) keep out Muslims until we can work out an intelligent policy of excluding those that wish to kill us is prudent, not racist. How, btw, are things going in Sweden?

That Trump may be our cleanest dirty shirt gives me little but hope for something better.

Not holding my breath.
Posted by Vast Right Wing Conspiracy 2016-03-22 16:20||   2016-03-22 16:20|| Front Page Top

#61 I'm afraid we have no choice but to put Muslims on hold until we can get a handle on the situation. It's a corollary of "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you." The world has been given no choice by a bunch of terrorists wolves hiding amongst migrating sheep. The terrorists have forced us to take this unpopular route, but by God I will take it if I have to, no matter how much it sorrows me. Hopefully we can figure out a better way before the terrorists come for your neighbor or even you. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm certain that honest sheep will just have to understand that we have to do what we have to do. And the complicit sheep will complain. Shoot them, too.
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 16:26||   2016-03-22 16:26|| Front Page Top

#62 Is he a racist homophobe, too?

Of course he is. And don't forget Nazi.
Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2016-03-22 16:30||   2016-03-22 16:30|| Front Page Top

#63 What Trump has to say about anything is called vaporware in the software industry. Nothing of substance.

But frankly, this thread shouldn't be about him.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 16:31||   2016-03-22 16:31|| Front Page Top

#64 Trump is the child who shouted "the king is naked".
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-03-22 16:32||   2016-03-22 16:32|| Front Page Top

#65 What Trump has to say about anything is called vaporware in the software industry. Nothing of substance.

Why didn't you say so sooner? I'm converted. Who should I vote for?
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 16:37||   2016-03-22 16:37|| Front Page Top

#66 Is he a racist homophobe, too?

The first USA politician who didn't forget that he was talking about and started mumbling appologies when accused of these things.
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2016-03-22 16:38||   2016-03-22 16:38|| Front Page Top

#67 Choices aren't exactly stellar but if I could vote I'd probably vote for Kasich. At least he has a realistic chance to beat Hillary and seems to be a reasonable guy.
Posted by European Conservative 2016-03-22 16:41||   2016-03-22 16:41|| Front Page Top

#68 Kasich came out of the pro-immigration closet. In a BIG way. He said he'd have everyone on a path to amnesty within 100 days of being elected. Sorry, he's part of the problem.

I could live with Cruz. He has a better developed and integrated understanding of the world, at least for now. I have been watching Trump learn from zero, and he's picking it up fast enough for my liking.

But I prefer Trump. He has way more business experience, and we'll need that to get the beacon relit (prosperity first, the rest will follow). His instincts as one guy are worth more than all the other experts combined so far, too. All-in-all, I believe he will honestly look for and find solutions that are minimally influenced by our self-serving elite. Of course they will blackmail and hold him hostage as best they can to serve their own interests, but he's in a better position to resist than all the rest except for maybe Cruz.
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 16:56||   2016-03-22 16:56|| Front Page Top

#69 For what its worth my wife has stopped calling herself a Republican she prefers conservative. Trump might be a Republican but he's not truly conservative (same with most of the establishment Republicans these days).

That matters to some, not a bit to others.
Posted by rjschwarz 2016-03-22 17:07||   2016-03-22 17:07|| Front Page Top

#70 #53 National Review, Trump & Overton Window

Now I know! Thank you for this contribution to my education, WarDoof. I've saved it for future reference.
Posted by trailing wife 2016-03-22 17:12||   2016-03-22 17:12|| Front Page Top

#71 Yeah, the Republican party has become a bunch of opportunists by another mother. Just as bad as the Dems. Completely useless. Hopefully they get morphed into something that is good for the country. Trump is going by what is the center of popular thinking if you first remove the PC moron crowd from the population. What is left isn't necessarily conservative, but at least it's practical and will survive longer. I don't know where conservatives will find a home. I think they'll find room under the new Republican tent, though.
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 17:26||   2016-03-22 17:26|| Front Page Top

#72 TW thank you for the link to Schaerbeek. Looks like it used to be a nice place.

So looking at its sister cities...interesting choices.

Give'm hell Belgium.
Posted by swksvolFF 2016-03-22 17:38||   2016-03-22 17:38|| Front Page Top

#73 London, Madrid, Paris, Brussels. Modern advanced Western civilization (or what it passes for) still practices 'human sacrifice' in the name of the God of Virtue practiced by the ruling class.

Meanwhile the same ruling class will busy themselves with removing and banning a substance that if it was greater than one part in a hundred thousand or million might just cause a couple premature deaths years down the line.
Posted by Procopius2k 2016-03-22 18:14||   2016-03-22 18:14|| Front Page Top

#74 
Posted by 3dc 2016-03-22 19:10||   2016-03-22 19:10|| Front Page Top

#75 Cruz is my antiestablishment preference. Trump isnt conservative or consistent, Cruz is. But that aside, whoever it is should be hammering this HARD against Hillary and Bernie:

Obama, their guy, said Climate Change is a bigger danger than ISIS. Bernie is big on Climate, and Hillary was SecState in the time that all this was set up.

Hang this one around their neck like a millstone. The GOP in DC will not. So its up to the candidates to do it.
Posted by Unomoper Squank1009 2016-03-22 22:26||   2016-03-22 22:26|| Front Page Top

#76 That'll only work if Dems go along with it. They are predisposed to looking the other way when things like email, Benghazi, and debunking AGW subjects come up.
Posted by gorb 2016-03-22 23:02||   2016-03-22 23:02|| Front Page Top

05:28 Whiskey Mike
05:23 Whiskey Mike
05:21 Whiskey Mike
05:18 Whiskey Mike
05:15 Whiskey Mike
05:13 Whiskey Mike
05:08 Whiskey Mike
05:05 Whiskey Mike
05:03 Whiskey Mike
03:23 Besoeker
02:05 Grom the Affective
02:04 Grom the Affective
01:26 49 Pan
00:22 EMS Artifact
00:16 Skidmark









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