Brussels bombings in Metro and at airport

[John Bredin]

I'm a bit surprised not to see a thread on the horrifying news of the three bombings in Brussels, two at the airport and one in the Metro, during the busy morning rush. At last news, the Brussels Metro is still closed. While the more horrific pictures on CNN etc. are of the airport bombing scenes, the death and injury tolls so far are higher for the Metro blast. ISIS has claimed responsibility.

I actually read this news first in the online Chicago Tribune announcing extra police patrols of the L in response to the Brussels explosions before I read that there had been explosions in Brussels.

 

[jis]

We, several of us, have been discussing this on Facebook and airliners.net since about 6am EDT this morning. Friend of mine was supposed tot ravel to Brussels for some EU meetings today, but he had canceled his trip yesterday because of travel overload. He recognized the locations in the pictures and kept us posted on the details.

Maelbeek Metro station is very familiar to me. It and Schuman are the two stations for accessing the EU complex in Brussels. I have used it often in the past to go to various meetings with EU standards folks.

I have not flown into Brussels Airport in Zaventem in quite a while, since the trip there was usually by train from Paris or London. But when I came to the US for grad school in 1977 I passed through Brussels National then flying by the now existent Sabena, the then Belgian national airline. Last time I was there was in 2013.

Apparently the bombing was in the checkin area for US airlines.

Brussels Midi station remains closed with all HSR service suspended. Two other stations have reopened and there is limited Regional service.The airport will likely remain close at least until tomorrow.

 

[Seaboard92]

I would think the reason the Metro had the higher injury and death count would probably come from it's location. Less room for the energy from the blast to spread out.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

A couple days before the attacks I was saying that ISIS activity will be used to help usher in a Trump presidency based on shoot first diplomacy, sanctioned torture, and the bombing of women and children who may [or may not] be related to [suspected] terrorists. This isn't exaggeration or hyperbole, these are the actual goals of a leading candidate for the US presidency. Where's the terror alert for a sudden rise in domestic fascism?

 

[Bob Dylan]

All of the neocons that have been exiled to right wing think tanks and Fox since W became a painter, are ready for a Trump or Cruz Presidency so we can crank up the next Middle Eastern War, prefebly with Iran!

 

[XHRTSP]

My company flies into BRU daily. All our people are accounted for. We're going to pull out of Brussels for at least 24 hours and will operate those flights into LEJ instead.

 

[jis]

This attack effectively causes Jet Airways (9W) to cease service at BRU a week earlier than they planned. They had four aircraft stuck in BRU due to this incident.

 

[Ryan]

A couple days before the attacks I was saying that ISIS activity will be used to help usher in a Trump presidency based on shoot first diplomacy, sanctioned torture, and the bombing of women and children who may [or may not] be related to [suspected] terrorists. This isn't exaggeration or hyperbole, these are the actual goals of a leading candidate for the US presidency. Where's the terror alert for a sudden rise in domestic fascism?

We tried that, and the friends of the terrorists flipped their lids.

The cool thing, is that this plays right into ISISs hand. They go around recruiting people telling them that we're a bunch of Muslim-hating xenophobes, and we try our best to help them out and prove them right. Go us!!!

 

[jis]

The location of the explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem...

http://www.airliners.net/uf/view.file?id=2295&filename=1458849066sUZsqI.jpg

 

[chakk]

I flew in and out of the Brussels airport three years ago for a scientific conference in the EU auditorium, but rode a bus between the airport and central Brussels rather than the Metro on that trip.