Europe’s de facto capital faces an unprecedented security lockdown this week after Belgian authorities imposed a slew of safety-first measures to prevent a “serious and imminent” terrorist attack.
Schools, universities and kindergartens will be shut on Monday and the metro, shuttered all weekend, will remain closed, as counter-terrorist forces intensify their search for a network of Islamist militants involved in the Paris attacks.
On Sunday soldiers patrolled the streets with armoured vehicles outside the main stations and in public spaces.
In the evening there were reports of multiple operations in central parts of Brussels including the Grand Place.
Police evacuated restaurants in the centre, blocked off roads and issued requests to residents to stay away from windows. There have been reports of helicopters overhead.
The authorities have requested that
media and others refrain from spreading, via Twitter or other means, specific information about the apparent raids. Authorities have issued an appeal to all citizens to “stay calm and
to follow strictly the instructions of the police”.
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He spoke after the government raised the threat level in and around Brussels to four – the highest level – and deployed hundreds of troops to supplement armed local police.
European Union institutions will remain open, although with extra security checks, a spokesman said. Officials are expected to issue fresh guidance on further measures, a spokesman for the European commission said late on Sunday.
Officials have also confirmed that nursery schools will be closed on Monday, adding to the chaos that many are predicting for the Belgian capital as the working week begins.
The minister of education, Joëlle Milquet, said the closure of all educational institutions could be extended beyond 24 hours. “You do not mess around with the security of children and students ... This was the only sure measure of protection which we could take,” she told local TV networks.
Shops and restaurants remained shut during the day on Sunday in Brussels with few locals in the streets. Museums and cinemas were also closed. Prospects for Britain’s Davis Cup tennis clash with Belgium on Friday going ahead appeared slim.
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Belgian officials have rejected widespread criticism of the country’s intelligence services and counter-terror efforts. But the news that a Belgian man suspected of undertaking reconnaissance for the Paris attacks’ targets has been held by Turkish police has underlined the country’s role as a base for those behind the plot.
Belgium reportedly supplies more foreign fighters to Syria than any other EU country in per capita terms. Many have come from Molenbeek, a run-down Brussels borough with a large Muslim community that has long been a concern.
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The US embassy in Brussels advised Americans to cancel their weekend plans and stay indoors. The Foreign Office delivered similar advice for the high numbers of Britons in Brussels, which is also home to the Nato headquarters.
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...ll-intensifies
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