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Two Americans among dead in Brussels attacks, U.S. official says Two Americans among dead in Brussels attacks, U.S. official says
(about 2 hours later)
BRUSSELS — At least two Americans were killed in Tuesday’s terrorist attacks in Brussels, a U.S. official said Friday, as Secretary of State John F. Kerry made a somber visit to the heart of the European Union that was struck by Islamic State violence.BRUSSELS — At least two Americans were killed in Tuesday’s terrorist attacks in Brussels, a U.S. official said Friday, as Secretary of State John F. Kerry made a somber visit to the heart of the European Union that was struck by Islamic State violence.
Kerry gave no further detail about the identities or the number of the American fatalities, who were among at least 31 people killed in three suicide bombings. Belgian authorities, meanwhile, stepped up raids in parts of Brussels, dispatching bomb squads to the Schaerbeek neighborhood. Kerry gave no further detail about the identities or the number of the American fatalities, who were among at least 31 people killed in three suicide bombings. Belgian authorities, meanwhile, stepped up raids in parts of Brussels, detaining several people in connection with the attacks.
The U.S. official said two Americans have been confirmed dead so far and that there could be more. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive findings.The U.S. official said two Americans have been confirmed dead so far and that there could be more. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive findings.
[Families still in desperate wait for news after attacks][Families still in desperate wait for news after attacks]
“The United States is praying and grieving with you for the loved ones of those cruelly taken from us, including Americans, and for the many who were injured in these despicable attacks,” Kerry said alongside Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.“The United States is praying and grieving with you for the loved ones of those cruelly taken from us, including Americans, and for the many who were injured in these despicable attacks,” Kerry said alongside Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.
At least four Americans are known to be missing. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said earlier this week that the U.S. Embassy was still working to account for all of its staff members in Belgium. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said earlier this week that the U.S. Embassy was still working to account for all of its staff members in Belgium.
“We will not rest until we have eliminated your nihilistic beliefs and cowardice from the face of the Earth,” Kerry said, directing his remarks at Islamic State-connected attackers who have struck around the world.“We will not rest until we have eliminated your nihilistic beliefs and cowardice from the face of the Earth,” Kerry said, directing his remarks at Islamic State-connected attackers who have struck around the world.
[For Islamic State, terror in Europe but retreat in Mideast][For Islamic State, terror in Europe but retreat in Mideast]
The identities of more victims filtered out. Among them: a Dutch brother and sister who lived in the United States. Alexander Pinczowski, 29, and Sascha Pinczowski, 26, were killed in the airport bombing, said a representative for their family, James Cain.The identities of more victims filtered out. Among them: a Dutch brother and sister who lived in the United States. Alexander Pinczowski, 29, and Sascha Pinczowski, 26, were killed in the airport bombing, said a representative for their family, James Cain.
Cain, the father of Alexander Pinczowski’s fiancée and a former U.S. ambassador to Denmark, said that the siblings had hoped to become U.S. citizens.Cain, the father of Alexander Pinczowski’s fiancée and a former U.S. ambassador to Denmark, said that the siblings had hoped to become U.S. citizens.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders added that another Dutch citizen has died. He did not release the name, but Dutch media reported that the victim was Elita Weah, 40.Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders added that another Dutch citizen has died. He did not release the name, but Dutch media reported that the victim was Elita Weah, 40.
The British Foreign Office said a citizen, David Dixon, was killed in the attacks, and China and France noted at least one victim each. Britain said one of its citizens, David Dixon, was killed in the attacks, and China and France noted at least one victim each.
Probes into the attack network also sharpened. Even as Kerry met with Belgian and E.U. leaders about the Islamic State violence, police sweeps in France, Germany and Belgium were a sign that the threat has not abated.
A wave of police raids appeared to concentrate on the Brussels district of Schaerbeek, the same area where some of the attackers stayed and where police later found an apartment filled with bombmaking material. One large raid appeared to concentrate on the Brussels district of Schaerbeek, the same area where some of the attackers stayed and where police later found an apartment filled with bombmaking material.
At least two explosions were heard in the area, and bomb squad robots were on the scene, Belgium’s RTBF broadcaster reported. Police detained one person, the Belgian federal prosecutor said in a statement, and witnesses reported hearing explosions, apparently from bomb squad robots.
Earlier, a new suspect in the attacks was identified as Naim al-Hamed, a 27-year-old Syrian man born in Hama. He was described as “very dangerous, suspected of being armed,” according to a police notice. Belgian TV aired amateur footage of the detention that appeared to show a man who had been shot in the leg being dragged away from a tram stop by black-clad counterterrorism police while a bomb-disposal robot waited nearby. Belgian prosecutors said the man was arrested in connection with a French raid a day earlier.
And Germany held a man who was deported from Turkey to Europe in July alongside Brussels suicide attacker Ibrahim el-Bakraoui over suspicions of trying to fight in Syria. A German official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was not immediately clear whether the man detained Thursday had direct ties to Bakraoui.
[Pentagon: Senior Islamic State commander killed in Syria]
Both Ibrahim and Khalid el-Bakraoui, the brothers who blew themselves up on Tuesday, were on a U.S. terrorism watchlist ahead of the attack, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. It was not clear whether they had been on the U.S. “no-fly” list.
Earlier, a new suspect in the attacks was identified as Naim al-Hamed, a 27-year-old Syrian man born in Hama. He was described as “very dangerous, suspected of being armed,” according to a police notice detailed in Belgian media.
Hamed was suspected of involvement in both attacks, but it was not immediately clear whether he was the elusive third attacker who authorities believe dropped a suitcase with explosives at the Brussels airport and then vanished.Hamed was suspected of involvement in both attacks, but it was not immediately clear whether he was the elusive third attacker who authorities believe dropped a suitcase with explosives at the Brussels airport and then vanished.
French authorities said Friday that a man detained in a raid the previous night in the Paris suburb of Argenteuil is believed to have connections to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the deceased ringleader of November’s Paris attacks that left 130 dead, the Associated Press reported, citing unnamed French officials. Belgium’s federal prosecutor said Friday that a man detained in a raid the previous night in the Paris suburb of Argenteuil is believed to have connections to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the deceased ringleader of November’s Paris attacks that left 130 dead, the Associated Press reported, citing unnamed French officials.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that the man, identified in French media as 34-year-old Frenchman Reda Kriket, was “at the advanced stage” of plotting an attack on the country. The 34-year-old French citizen, Reda Kriket, had been convicted in a Belgian court in July for participating in the activities of a terrorist group, the prosecutor said.
Three more raids in Brussels were conducted in connection with Kriket’s arrest, according to the prosecutor.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that Kriket was “at the advanced stage” of plotting an attack on the country.
But Cazeneuve said there was no apparent link to Tuesday’s attacks in Brussels, which served as a hub for militants planning the Paris massacres.But Cazeneuve said there was no apparent link to Tuesday’s attacks in Brussels, which served as a hub for militants planning the Paris massacres.
[Security forces missed chances before the Brussels attacks][Security forces missed chances before the Brussels attacks]
At the same time, police pressed ahead with a manhunt for a suspected accomplice who is believed to have fled Tuesday’s attack at Brussels Airport.At the same time, police pressed ahead with a manhunt for a suspected accomplice who is believed to have fled Tuesday’s attack at Brussels Airport.
The French newspaper Le Monde and the Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported that video monitors captured images of another possible accomplice, who is believed to have slipped away on the Brussels subway. The report could not be immediately confirmed.The French newspaper Le Monde and the Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported that video monitors captured images of another possible accomplice, who is believed to have slipped away on the Brussels subway. The report could not be immediately confirmed.
Criticism has also been leveled at the Dutch government, which on Thursday released a letter from Turkish authorities announcing their decision to deport Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, 29, to the Netherlands in July, after he was apparently detained at the Turkey-Syria border.Criticism has also been leveled at the Dutch government, which on Thursday released a letter from Turkish authorities announcing their decision to deport Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, 29, to the Netherlands in July, after he was apparently detained at the Turkey-Syria border.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey explicitly warned Dutch authorities that Bakraoui, who would become one of the airport suicide bombers, was “a foreign terrorist fighter.”Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey explicitly warned Dutch authorities that Bakraoui, who would become one of the airport suicide bombers, was “a foreign terrorist fighter.”
But the letter does not explain why Bakraoui was deported, and Dutch Justice Minister Ard van der Steur said Turkey did not explain its decision. Because Bakraoui was not on any watch lists at the time and because he had a valid Belgian passport, van der Steur said, “there was no reason to take any action.”But the letter does not explain why Bakraoui was deported, and Dutch Justice Minister Ard van der Steur said Turkey did not explain its decision. Because Bakraoui was not on any watch lists at the time and because he had a valid Belgian passport, van der Steur said, “there was no reason to take any action.”
In a sign of the intense pressure on Belgian authorities after what are widely regarded as a host of security failures before Tuesday’s attacks, the country’s interior and justice ministers offered to resign Thursday, according to Belgian news media reports. Lindsey Bever in Washington and James McAuley, Missy Ryan and Souad Mekhennet in Brussels contributed to this report.
[ Quiet morning in Brussels ends in gruesome terrorist attacks]
Interior Minister Jan Jambon and Justice Minister Koen Geens have come under criticism for their departments’ inability to disrupt the terrorist cell before it struck, despite links between the Brussels plotters and the attackers in Paris in November.
The Brussels attackers had been on authorities’ radar.
Bakraoui’s brother, Khalid el-Bakraoui, 27, who is believed to have been the suicide bomber on the Brussels subway car, had even been subject to an international arrest warrant. The Belgian prosecutor’s office said Thursday that the warrant was issued Dec. 11 and that he was wanted for using a false name to rent an apartment in the Belgian city of Charleroi that was used as a hideout for the Paris attackers.
Various personal details about the bombmaker have trickled out.
Najim Laachraoui, hailed in an Islamic State video for devising the explosive packages in Brussels, had attended Catholic school, and his younger brother has become an international taekwondo competitor.
Yet a news conference Thursday with the bombmaker’s brother and an interview with the director of the Catholic school did little to shed light on what led Laachraoui, described as a good student and a “kind and intelligent” brother, down the path that so many others have followed to violent extremism.
The Catholic school in the ethnically mixed Brussels neighborhood of Schaerbeek welcomed non-Catholics. “He was a good student,” recalled Veronica Pellegrini, the director of the Institut de la Sainte-Famille d’Helmet. Pellegrini said he spent six years at the school and studied humanities.
Lindsey Bever in Washington contributed to this report.
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