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Brussels explosions: blasts near EU building and at airport – live updates Brussels explosions: multiple casualties after airport and metro blasts – live
(35 minutes later)
9.16am GMT 9.54am GMT
09:16 09:54
Report: 10 dead in metro blast Angelique Chrisafis
The Belgium broadcaster VTM says 10 people were killed in the blast at the Maelbeek station. The station is about 500m from the EU buildings. All trains to Brussels stations from Paris have been cancelled, writes Angelique Chrisafis.
Area around Maelbeek metro sealed off, I can see 4 ambulances, 1 fire engine. pic.twitter.com/xFmMBqcVdZ At Paris’s Gare du Nord station scores of passengers on a morning Thalys train ready to depart for Brussels were told to get off the train and that all international departures to Belgium had been suspended.
9.13am GMT 9.52am GMT
09:13 09:52
Michael Ryan, head of the EU delegation to Rwanda, said he felt the Maelbeek metro blast in the next station. Jason Burke
Felt Maelbeek metro explosion, was in next station, Schuman, in Brussels. Awful attacks at airport & EU area Were the apparent attacks revenge for Salah Abdeslam’s arrest? asks Jason Burke.
9.10am GMT Any threat from Islamic militants to Europe may rise and fall, but does not disappear when a single figure is arrested, however much he was sought. The “major blow” struck on Friday, as senior policymakers called it, now looks less major.
09:10 Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam shot and arrested in Brussels Read more
The European commission has locked down its staff after the apparent attacks. The second is that both terrorists and those trying to stop them seek to keep the initiative. This has a practical and a psychological aspect. For counter-terrorist agencies, the aim is to get information fast enough to mount raids and sweep up suspects before they even have time to work out who among them has been picked up and who might have talked, let alone plan a new strike. Networks quickly fall apart under such relentless pressure, as was shown in Iraq in the middle of the last decade.
Kristalina Georgieva, the EU’s vice-president in charge of personnel told staff to stay inside. For the terrorists, the aim is to show they can still terrorise, mobilise and polarise with violence. This is not so much about revenge, but simply demonstrating a continued capability. They may be down but, they are saying, they are not out.
9.05am GMT Related: Brussels attacks: were they revenge for Abdeslam's arrest?
09:05 9.49am GMT
Cobra to meet 09:49
David Cameron is to chair a meeting of the UK government’s emergency committee, Cobra, in the wake of the Brussels attacks. American Airlines said all of its employees and contractors are accounted for after the blast at the airport departure hall.
I will be chairing a COBRA meeting on the events in Brussels later this morning. Statement from @AmericanAir on #Brussels airport explosions. All employees accounted, no reported injuries. pic.twitter.com/rbBjs76fni
Earlier, the prime minister expressed his shock and concern. Here’s an aerial view of the blast site.
9.44am GMT
09:44
Shaun Walker
There’s been some bitter reaction to the attacks from Russia, writes Shaun Walker.
The chair of the Duma’s foreign policy committee, Alexei Pushkov, tweeted: “While [Nato chief Jens] Stoltenberg, is busy fighting the imaginary ‘Russian threat’ and putting troops in Latvia, under his nose in Brussels people are blown up.”
Пока Столтенберг, себя не помня, сражается с мнимой "росс. угрозой" и размещает войска в Латвии, у него под носом, в Брюсселе взрывают людей
And more Russian schadenfreude came from foreign ministryspokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who reportedly said: “You can’t support terrorists in one part of the globe and not expect them to appear in others.”
Захарова о взрывах: Нельзя поддерживать террористов в одних частях планеты и думать, что они не придут в другие pic.twitter.com/pRPXqxGocG
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.10am GMT at 9.48am GMT
8.55am GMT 9.40am GMT
08:55 09:40
The death toll at the Zaventem airport in Brussels has increased to 13, according to the Belgian broadcaster VRT, with a further 35 people severely injured, Reuters reports. Belgium’s prime minister, Charles Michel, has warned the Belgian public to “avoid any movement” for the time being.
Pour le moment, nous demandons à la population d'éviter tout déplacement. Call centre de centre de crise : 1771.
Reinforcements have arrived at Michel’s office.
Additional military reinforcements have been deployed near the PM office. #Brussels (image via @Le_Bux) pic.twitter.com/L02QLY7kRG
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.09am GMT at 9.48am GMT
8.53am GMT 9.37am GMT
08:53 09:37
Le Soir has published an image of passengers being evacuated from a train after the blast at Maelbeek metro station. Brussels airport will stay closed until 6am on Wednesday.
Evacuation des passagers entre la station Arts-Loi et Maelbeek https://t.co/HUNBJq8DII Photo @evanlamos pic.twitter.com/3VLbYZigUY UPDATE: the airport is closed until 6am tomorrow and all incoming and departing flights are cancelled. More info >> https://t.co/6PnldKaPmv
8.50am GMT
08:50
Brussels is in lockdown. The metro stations and airport have been closed. And now the city’s museums are also reported to have been shut.
Les musées fédéraux annoncent qu'ils resteront fermés aujourd'hui
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.00am GMT at 9.40am GMT
8.48am GMT 9.35am GMT
08:48 09:35
Airport attack blamed on suicide bomber Eurostar in London has suspended trains to and from Brussels Midi station.
The Belgian broadcaster VRT says the Brussels airport explosion was a suicide attack, Reuters reports. This is unconfirmed at this stage. UPDATE: No trains are currently running to or from Brussels Midi. Brussels customers are advised to postpone, and not come to station.
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.00am GMT at 9.40am GMT
8.45am GMT 9.33am GMT
08:45 09:33
'Several injured' in Metro station blast Martin Schulz, president of the European parliament, has condemned what he described as “heinous attacks”.
Several people were injured in the explosion at Maelbeeck metro station, AP reports. My thoughts with #Brussels and its citizens after these heinous attacks. Stay in a safe place, follow instructions of authorities
Here’s video of the aftermath of that blast.
Fumée métro maelbeeck #bruxelles @RTBFinfo pic.twitter.com/YVRVh2wwXa
8.42am GMT
08:42
David Cameron expresses shock and concern
David Cameron has expressed his shock and concern.
I am shocked and concerned by the events in Brussels. We will do everything we can to help.
Other world leaders have tweeted similar sentiments.
Terrible acts of terrorism in #Brussels. Stand in solidarity with all those affected.
Terrible feeling "not if but when", Latvia stands together with Brussels and Belgium in solidarity against terrorism
Shocked by the news on explosions at #Brusselsairport . Following developments closely. Stay safe! @BrusselsAirport @ACI_EUROPE
Shocking news coming in from #Brussels today. My sincere condolences to all victims' families.
I am deeply shocked about the terrorist attack in the #Brussels airport. On behalf of the Georgian people, I express solidarity.
Horrible news from #Brussels. If blasts are an act of terrorism, we strongly condemn it as no political aims can be achieved by violence.
8.39am GMT
08:39
Sky News has the latest video from the metro station blast and the explosions at the airport.
8.35am GMT
08:35
Angelique Chrisafis
According to French media reports, there were two explosions minutes apart just before 8am at Brussels airport – one in the departures area and one on or near the runway, writes Angelique Chrisafis.
A false ceiling collapsed, causing lots of dust and smoke.
The departures area had easy access to the public, but the runway area would have been closed to public access and raises questions about how the explosion could have happened there.
UpdatedUpdated
at 8.41am GMT at 9.40am GMT
8.31am GMT 9.31am GMT
08:31 09:31
Hospital source says 10 dead This aerial view shows how close the metro blast was to the EU buildings in Brussels.
The Belgian broadcaster RTBF says up to 10 people were killed and 30 wounded in the airport explosions. It cited a hospital source for the figures, according to Reuters. 9.29am GMT
8.29am GMT 09:29
08:29 There are unconfirmed reports that 23 people have been killed in both attacks.
Metro system closed The Belgian broadcaster VTM said 10 people were killed in the blast at the Maelbeek metro station. Earlier, it said the death toll at the Zaventem airport in Brussels had risen to 13.
The entire Metro system in Brussels has been closed.
Fermeture du métro #STIBSluiting van alle metrostations #MIVBAll metro stations are closing #Brussels @zpz_polbru
8.25am GMT
08:25
Reports of metro station blast.
There are unconfirmed reports of an attack at a Brussels metro station close to the EU buildings at Maalbeek.
Explosión metro maalbeek pic.twitter.com/9KIEhLMOin
Explosion et évacuation de la station Maalbeek. Explosion in metro station Maalbeek #Brussels #Zaventem.
UpdatedUpdated
at 8.26am GMT at 9.41am GMT
8.23am GMT
08:23
Extraordinary video has emerged of the aftermath of the airport blast.
One of the first video in Brussels terminal right after the explosion. Reports of shouts in Arabic and shots. https://t.co/hTXYe5yFOE
Updated
at 8.27am GMT
8.22am GMT
08:22
Here’s where the blasts took place.
8.21am GMT
08:21
Belgium PM 'following minute-by-minute'
Belgium’s prime minister, Charles Michel, says his government is monitoring the situation minute-by-minute. In a tweet he said the “top priority” was the victims of the blasts.
Nous suivons la situation minute par minute. La priorité absolue va aux victimes et aux personnes présentes dans l'aéroport @BrusselsAirport
Updated
at 8.42am GMT