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

Eiffel Tower Evacuated After Bomb Alert
THE TELEGRAPH: Police have evacuated the Eiffel Tower and the park surrounding the Paris landmark after a bomb alert

Tourists were evacuated from the Eiffel Tower just before 9pm local time (8pm in the UK), according to French newspaper Le Figaro.

The company that runs the Tower received an anonymous phone call saying that there was a bomb planted there at 8.20pm. >>> | Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Terror Alert: Passenger Restrained On Flight
YAHOO NEWS!: A suspected shoebomber wrestled into submission by air marshalls as fighter jets were scrambled has turned out to be a Qatari diplomat reportedly trying to secretly smoke in the plane's toilet.

The man, who has not been named, was on board United Airlines flight 663 from Washington DC to Denver, Colorado.

Security officials have said he spent a suspicious amount of time in the toilet and other passengers could smell smoke when he emerged.

When the man told US air marshalls he had been trying to set fire to his shoes, jets were scrambled.

The Boeing 757 eventually landed safely at its destination and the suspect has been taken into custody. >>> Sky News | Thursday, April 08, 2010

Moscow and St. Petersburg Bombarded by Hundreds of False Terror Alerts
RUSSIA TODAY: Abusing widespread public fear after Monday’s Moscow metro bombings, hooligans have made hundreds of false phone call terror alerts.

Shortly after two deadly blasts rocked Moscow’s underground Monday, an unknown man called the St. Petersburg’s police and said there were bombs on the city’s two central metro stations. Ploshyad Vosstaniya and Gostinny Dvor platforms were immediately closed and guarded by the police. The call later turned out to be a false one. >>> | Friday, April 02, 2010

Terrorist Threat Level Raised to 'Severe'
Why do we have to put up with this crap from these scum? Have Westerners lost all their will to fight for their civilization? Are we going to spend the rest of our lives in this reactive, defensive, apologetic mode? We will never get a grip on this problem like this. Attack is the best form of defence; always has been, and always will be. The way things are, Muslims rattle the cage, and we shiver in fear. Welcome to the spineless world of Westerners! – © Mark

TIMES ONLINE: Britain's terrorist threat level was raised tonight from “substantial” to “severe” - meaning that counter-terrorism agencies believe an attack is “highly likely”.

The measure was approved at a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee and announced by Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary.

The Times understands that the decision to raise the threat level is connected to the conference on Afghanistan taking place at Lancaster Gate, London, next Thursday.

Sources said there had been intensive discussions throughout the day relating to intelligence suggesting a possible attempted “spectacular” by an al-Qaeda affiliated group. >>> Sean O’Neill, Crime and Security Editor | Friday, January 22, 2010

Fat Cats in Terror after Anti-capitalists Attack Fred the Shred's Home
MAIL Online: Security will be stepped up around fat-cat bankers after the home of disgraced former RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin was targeted by vandals.

A statement claiming to be from the group responsible for damage at his £3million mansion warned of further attacks, saying: 'This is just the beginning.'

The threat sparked fears of a terror campaign against those blamed for the collapse in the financial system.

The concern is that anti-capitalist groups will copy the tactics of animal rights militants by directly targeting individuals they hold responsible for the credit crunch.

Tensions are already high, with anarchists reported to be plotting mayhem at next week's G20 summit in London.

Their intention is to paralyse the Square Mile by staging sit-in protests and storming financial institutions, with the Bank of England and RBS among the top targets.

Effigies of bankers will be hung from lampposts. Security adviser Dai Davies, a former head of Scotland Yard's Royalty Protection squad, said: 'Risk assessments will have to be carried out by the police on individuals who are concerned about their safety. If there is cause for concern then appropriate advice will be given and pre put in place.

'The developments at Sir Fred Goodwin's home will almost certainly make some other high-profile bankers want to review their own private security arrangements.' >>> By Stephen Wright | Thursday, March 26, 2009

THE GUARDIAN: Banks Braced for City Riots During G20 Summit after Attack on Sir Fred Goodwin's Home

Financial sector staff are warned to keep low profile / Former RBS boss 'shaken' after early morning raid

The last time bankers faced angry demonstrations, some responded by pouring champagne or photocopied £50 notes from windows, but it is unlikely that protesters targeting the City next week during the G20 summit will be met by similar shows of bravado.

Many staff are being advised to dress down next Wednesday and Thursday to avoid being marked out as City workers - if they cannot avoid the protests entirely by working from home. Others have been advised to avoid leaving the office to attend meetings.

Concern about possible violence heightened when the home of former Royal Bank of Scotland chairman Sir Fred Goodwin was vandalised early yesterday morning, leaving three windows shattered and the rear window of his black Mercedes smashed. An anonymous email was sent to media organisations shortly after the attack threatening further action against "criminal" bank bosses.

The former RBS boss, who had not been at home and is at the centre of a row over the size of his pension from the taxpayer-owned bank, was said to have been "shaken" by the incident.

Many in the City believe aggressive media coverage of the financial crisis has declared a virtual open season on financial sector workers.

The financial advisory group Bluefin, which employs 500 staff in London, has set up a phone line offering staff updates next week. Staff have been told not to go to its office in Mark Lane in the City unless absolutely necessary. "As a responsible employer, the safety and wellbeing of our staff is always considered of paramount importance," a spokesman said.

A UBS spokesman said the bank would continue to assess the level of threat as it got nearer the time. "We are telling people to be cautious. If you have client meetings, do you need to have them here? Some of the banks have said dress down or try not to move around. It is all pretty obvious. "It is quite co-ordinated among the banks. We all talk to each other. I think it is different if you are in a landmark building, some are more obvious than others."

Another banker complained that we "are in an era of the demonisation of financial services". >>> David Teather | Thursday, March 26, 2009

Dutch Raise Terror Alert Over Anti-Isam Film
Photo of Geert Wilders courtesy of Google Images
THE HAGUE (AFP) — The international uproar about the planned release of an anti-Islam film by a Dutch far-right MP prompted the Netherlands to raise its terrorism alert level on Thursday.

"While there are no concrete indications of impending attacks in the Netherlands, the increased international terrorism threat has prompted to raise the threat level for the Netherlands from 'limited' to 'substantial'," the justice ministry said.

One of the main reasons for the raising of the alert level is the plan by far right deputy Geert Wilders to air his short movie -- which he says attacks the Koran as a "fascist book" -- in March.

"Compounding the threat is the fact that the Netherlands has been cast in a negative light in the Islamic world due to the tone of the debate on Islam in this country, especially since the announcement of a controversial film on the Koran," the ministry explained.

The international media attention for Wilders movie "has led to the posting of death threats against the Freedom Party leader on one of the leading international jihadist web forums", according to the national anti-terrorism coordinator NCTb.

The Wilders film has caused uproar in Muslim countries, some of whom have called for an economic boycott of the Netherlands if the film is shown. Iran, Egypt and Pakistan all voiced criticism about the film.

In Afghanistan hundreds of protesters took to the streets Wednesday to protest the film, whilst the Taliban has already vowed revenge against the 1,600 Dutch soldiers stationed in the country if the movie is shown.

The Dutch government has twice tried and failed to convince Wilders not to broadcast his film, fearing a repeat of the worldwide protests which met the publication of satirical Danish cartoons of the prophet Mohammed.

It has already warned its embassies in Muslim countries to be on the alert. Dutch raise terror alert over anti-Islam film >>>

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