Trump Responds to Brussels Terror Attacks

Mayhem in Brussels Airport: Immediate Aftermath of Zaventem Bombings

High Alert: Belgium to Cancel Festivities, EU Tightens Security

Belgium is increasing its terror alert level for New Year's Eve. And the Belgian Crisis Center warns festivities could be cancelled altogether.

Belgium: No Turkish PM or President Will Apologise for Doing Duty - Davutoglu

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that protection of Turkish borders and airspace is "not only a right, but a duty for my government," and therefore "no Turkish Prime Minister, or President or authority will apologise because of doing our duty," following the downing of a Russian military jet by the Turkish airforce, ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, in Brussels, Monday.

‘Christian State’ Threatens to Kill Muslims in Belgium

THE JEWISH PRESS: An anonymous group has sent threatening letters to Belgian mosques, warning Muslims "will be slaughtered like pigs and crucified as our Lord converts their souls.”

The Islamic State now has competition, called the “Christian State.”

The anonymous “Christian State” group has sent a threatening letter to Belgium’s major mosque and two other mosques, warning that it will murder Muslims.

The precise language of the letter is:

No mosque and none of your businesses will be safe. Brothers [Muslims] will be slaughtered like pigs and crucified as our Lord converts their souls.

Belgian Muslim leader Jamal Habbachich said he will file a complaint with the police over the threatening letters,, which he called “very serious.” » | Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu | Saturday, November 28, 2015

Belgium: EU and Turkey Agree €3bn Package for Syrian Refugees, Confirms Tusk

President of the European Council Donald Tusk confirmed on Sunday that a “major step towards changing the rules of the game when it comes to stemming the migration flow that is coming to the EU via Turkey” is coming from a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker following the Heads of States of the European Union with Turkey meeting.

Deep Anxiety Pervades Brussels as Lockdown Continues

THE GUARDIAN: With no end in sight to the unprecedented crackdown in the Belgian capital, its economic, social and political costs are rising


Dusk is gathering but the pale wintry sunshine keeps temperatures above zero for a final hour. Annelise Augustyns is on her way to a playground near the Gare du Midi with her two children, aged three and five. All three are wrapped against the wind scything across the bleak concrete plaza outside the station.

It is the third day of lockdown in the Belgian capital and the Augustyns have spent three days confined to their small apartment. The 35-year-old government worker’s office in the centre of the city has been shut. So too, on Monday, were the children’s schools.

“You have to live after all, despite all this tension. The kids are going crazy and no one knows how long this is going to last,” Augustyns said.

On Monday night the Belgian government promised to ease the unprecedented crackdown put in place by the Belgian government as security services hunt a network of local Islamic militants linked to the Paris attacks and suspected of planning a similar operation in Brussels. However the threat, prime minister Charles Michel stressed remained “serious and imminent”. » | Jason Burke in Brussels | Monday, November 23, 2015

Brussels Lockdown: Belgian Capital on Top Alert, Key Suspect Slips Past Police Raids

Belgian police are still searching for Salah Abdeslam, one of the participants in the Paris terror attacks on November 13. He was not among 16 people arrested during raids on Sunday and the authorities fear he could be planning another attack.

Brussels 'Very Dangerous' as Several Terror Suspects Remain At Large

THE GUARDIAN: Soldiers and armoured vehicles could stay on Belgian capital’s streets into next week amid fears of imminent Paris-style attack in the heart of the EU


Several terrorists remain at large in Brussels and threaten to commit a “very dangerous act”, a senior official has said, as the Belgian capital enters its second day with soldiers and armoured vehicles continuing to keep the city in lockdown.

The mayor of one of Brussels’ municipalities said the area was still facing a grave threat, adding that suspects linked to the Paris terror attack that killed more than 130 last week remain on the run.

Schaerbeek’s mayor, Bernard Clerfayt, said on Sunday: “There are two terrorists in the Brussels region that could commit very dangerous acts.” The Belgian interior minister, Jan Jambon, added “several suspects” tied to the Paris attacks could be at large in the country.

Belgium’s national crisis centre on Saturday raised the threat alert in the Brussels region to level four, which indicates a “serious and immediate threat”. Clerfayt said it was necessary to try to anticipate and prevent any such acts and their consequences. He said: “As long as this threat is present, we must be very attentive.” » | Jason Burke and Ian Traynor in Brussels | Sunday, November 22, 2015

Brussels Faces Week On Lockdown as Hunt for Terror Cell Intensifies

A police officer and soldiers on security duty inside the
Galerie de la Reine in Brussels on Sunday.

THE GUARDIAN: Belgian officials say they are looking for at least two individuals, including one man suspected of playing role in Paris attacks last week

Europe’s unofficial 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.

Charles Michel, the Belgian prime minister, said schools and universities would be shut on Monday while the Metro in the city, which had been expected to partially open after being suspended over the weekend, will not run.

Belgian counter-terrorist agencies are continuing their search for a network of Islamic militants as soldiers patrol the streets with armoured vehicles outside main stations and in public spaces.

“We still fear attacks here like those that occurred in Paris, involving several individuals striking simultaneously in several places,” Michel told a tense press conference, adding that there were “indications” that transport systems, commercial centres, shopping streets and busy places were targets.

Local media described the measures, particularly the closure of schools, as unprecedented and historic, and predicted mass disruption. It remained unclear how the lockdown would affect Europe’s political executive, the European commission. » | Jason Burke in Brussels | Sunday, November 22, 2015

When Did Belgium Become a Terror Breeding Ground?

Nov. 17, 2015 - 4:02 - Zuhdi Jasser weighs in

Belgium: Brussels on Lockdown Over Terror Alert, Soldiers Deployed

Public areas of Brussels including metro stations were closed on Saturday after the Belgian authorities raised the ‘terror’ alert status in the capital to its highest level. People have been advised to avoid crowded areas because of a "serious and imminent threat," according to a government spokesperson.

Brussels in Lockdown after Terror Threat Level Is Raised to Maximum

Military vehicles commonly sighted in Brussels on Saturday
as city moves to maximum terror alert level.

THE GUARDIAN: Shops close, football is cancelled and people are urged to stay home as army patrols streets in face of ‘serious and imminent threat’ of Paris-style attack

Brussels has been blanketed with security after the Belgian government raised alert levels on terrorist threats to the maximum, warning of the “serious and imminent” possibility of a Paris-style attack involving firearms and explosives.

The city’s metro system was closed down on Saturday until Sunday afternoon at the earliest as shops shut, shopping malls were partly shuttered, professional football was cancelled, concerts were called off and music venues, museums, and galleries closed their doors for the weekend.

The heightened alert level followed meetings of the national security and counter-terror services late on Friday, which concluded, on the basis of undisclosed evidence, that a major attack was being planned in Brussels. The rest of the country was put on a level three alert, one level short of the maximum. » | Ian Traynor in Brussels | Saturday, November 21, 2015

Brussels on Highest Alert as Belgian Officials Warn of ‘Serious and Imminent’ Threat

THE WASHINGTON POST: BRUSSELS — The government abruptly shut down the metro system, canceled sporting events and warned residents to avoid crowded places as Belgium placed the capital on maximum alert early Saturday, citing a “serious and imminent” threat of attack.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said Saturday morning that officials had identified shopping centers, public transportation and major events as targets of a possible attack, involving multiple assailants at multiple locations, similar to the deadly assault that struck Paris on Nov. 13.

Searches of homes overnight by police in the immigrant quarter of Molenbeek and other neighborhoods in Brussels uncovered explosives and weapons, the prime minister said. Belgian security officials said it appeared that suspects were planning simultaneous attacks and that this was the reason for raising the threat to its highest level early Saturday. The U.S. Embassy in Brussels also issued a security alert warning U.S. citizens here “to shelter in place and remain at home.” Late Friday, an additional Belgian citizen was charged as an accomplice in connection with the Paris attacks and participation in a terrorist organization. Authorities declined to release his name.

Armed troops stood guard in front of hotels and at major intersections. Movie theaters, pools and department stores were shuttered. A concert by well-known Belgian singer Johnny Hallyday planned for Saturday night at a major concert venue was canceled, as well. » | William Booth, Anthony Faiola and Emily Badger | Saturday, November 21, 2015

‪Massive Anti-terror Raids in France, Belgium Follow Paris Attacks, Dozens Arrested‬

Anti-terrorist raids are currently underway across France, authorities said. The operations come following Friday’s co-ordinated attacks by jihadists in Paris that killed more than 120 people and left hundreds injured.

Actor Gérard Depardieu to 'Sell Everything' in France

Gérard Depardieu

THE TELEGRAPH: Actor and tax exile Gérard Depardieu pledges to sell all his properties in France, including a chateau, several restaurants and a fishmongers, in latest diatribe against his native country

French actor Gérard Depardieu has declared that he will "sell everything" in his home country, including his chateau and restaurants.

Already living as a tax exile in Belgium, with another address in Russia where he has been granted citizenship, the provocative star has said that this time he wants to sever all ties with France, including his string of properties.

“I think I want to sell everything in France!” he told TV Magazine. “I don’t want to be a part of this country anymore, even though I love the French.”

In 2012, Depardieu sparked a furious debate in France after becoming a tax resident of Belgium in order to avoid a 75 per cent levy on millionaire earners - a move dubbed “pathetic” by Jean-Marc Ayrault, then French prime minister.

The following January, Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, awarded a Russian passport to the 66-year-old star of Green Card, Cyrano and the Asterix films.

Depardieu is currently registered as living in the town of Saransk, with his address listed as 1, Democracy Street. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Friday, September 4, 2015

Belgian Fruit Syrup Faces Boycott Calls over Halal Labelling

THE TELEGRAPH: Move by Belgian syrup factory to enter Islamic markets sparks protests and a row over national identity

A fruit syrup that has been a staple of Belgian kitchens for generations is at the centre of a row over national identity, after its manufacturers applied for ‘halal’ certification.

The makers of Sirop de Liège, a molasses made of stewed apples, dates and pears and known by its distinctive blue and green pot, face a bitter backlash after they sought to tap into overseas Islamic markets.

The Siroperie Meurens, the family business that has been boiling fruit to the same recipe since 1902, faces calls for a boycott and has been inundated with online abuse since it announced the move.

Securing ‘halal’ certification would help the firm to target markets such as Indonesia and Egypt, at a time when the European fruit industry is under pressure due to sanctions on Russia that have halted food exports.

The move would confirm to Muslim consumers that the sticky brown syrup, which is eaten with bread and pancakes, or used as an ingredient in meatball sauces, does not contain pork gelatine. The recipe would stay the same, as would the labelling, the firm said. » | Matthew Holehouse, Brussels | Monday, August 17, 2015

LA MEUSE: Trahison, appel au boycott: rien ne va plus pour le sirop de Liège depuis l'annonce de la certification halal du produit de tradition : Nous vous l’annoncions ce week-end: le sirop de Liège de chez Meurens est désormais certifié «halal». Un label qui va permettre à la siroperie d’Aubel d’augmenter ses exportations. Seulement voilà, pour certains, il s’agit là d’une véritable trahison et la nouvelle a déchaîné les passions sur les réseaux sociaux. » | K. Wuyard | mardi 11 août 2015

Belgium Deploys Troops Following Anti-terror Raids

BBC AMERICA: Troops have been deployed across Belgium to guard potential targets of terrorist attacks, following a series of anti-terror raids and arrests.

Up to 300 soldiers will be mobilised in Brussels, Antwerp and elsewhere.

Belgium's interior minister told the BBC that his country had to make use of all the forces at its disposal.

Europe is on high alert after Islamist gunmen killed 17 people in Paris. More than 20 people have been arrested in Belgium, France and Germany.

Uniformed soldiers could be seen outside Jewish schools and government buildings in Belgium on Saturday.

Defence ministry officials said 150 police were already in place, a number that they expected to double over the course of the coming week. » | Saturday, January 17, 2015

'Hacktivist' Group Anonymous Says It Will Avenge Charlie Hebdo Attacks by Shutting Down Jihadist Websites

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hacker group Anonymous have released a video condemning the Paris attacks, saying "freedom of expression has suffered an inhuman assault"

Hacker group Anonymous have released a video and a statement via Twitter condemning the attacks on Charlie Hebdo, in which 12 people, including eight journalists, were murdered.

The video description says that it is "a message for al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and other terrorists", and was uploaded to the group's Belgian account.

In the clip, a figure wearing the group's symbolic Guy Fawkes mask is seated in front of a desk with the hashtag #OpCharlieHebdo - which stands for Operation Charlie Hebdo - featured on screen.

The figure, whose voice is obscured says: "We are declaring war against you, the terrorists." » | Keely Lockhart, Video source YouTube / anonymous belgique | Friday, January 09, 2015

Belgium's Former Queen Fabiola Dies at the Age of 86

Passed away: Belgium's former Queen Fabiola,
pictured in 2008, has died at the age of 86 at
Stuyvenbergh Castle, the palace has announced

MAIL ONLINE:  Belgian foreign minister Didier Reynders said: 'A page in our country's history has turned'  The former Queen's cause of death has not been announced, but her health had been ailing since a bout of pneumonia in 2009  Fabiola became queen of Belgium when she married King Baudouin in 1960  She remained Queen Consort for 33 years - until Baudoin's death in 1993  The couple had no children, and Fabiola suffered five miscarriages over the course of her marriage

Belgium's former Queen Fabiola has died at the age of 86 at Stuyvenbergh Castle.

A statement from the palace today said: 'Their majesties the King and Queen and the members of the royal family announce with great sadness the death of Her Majesty Queen Fabiola in Brussels this evening.'

Foreign minister Didier Reynders said all Belgians would mourn her passing. 'A page in our country's history has turned,' he told Belgium's RTL television.

King Philippe of Belgium said he was left with 'great sadness' when he heard of the death of his aunt.

Although her exact cause of death has not been confirmed, Queen Fabiola, the childless widow of King Baudouin, had been suffering from osteoporosis for years, and had never fully recovered from pneumonia in 2009.

The former queen, who used a wheelchair, had looked increasingly frail over the past month as she increasingly limited her public appearances.

Fabiola was born in 1928 as Fabiola de Mora y Aragón into an aristocratic family in Madrid, Spain.

Her godmother was Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain. She became queen of Belgium when she married King Baudouin in 1960. » | Annabel Fenwick Elliott for MailOnline | Friday, December 05, 2014