[Anonymous]

[Charles-P]

This morning Saturday there is a massive security alert in Brussels. Soldiers are patrolling the airport, there are restrictions on parking and the entire Brussels Metro is closed. Belgian government advice is to avoid all areas where people congregate such as railways stations or shopping areas. The army is patrolling the streets and all major sporting events are cancelled. People are encouraged to stay at home.

[Speedbird189]

Will it ever end? Nevertheless, always better to be safer than sorry.

[LuganoPirate]

Speedbird +1

Incidentally, travelling from Berne by train Thursday, there was a large police presence with them all carrying large machine guns. They were at the entrance to the platforms as well as patrolling through the station. I’ve never seen that before in Switzerland!

[Speedbird189]

That must have been scary. If I’m completely honest, I’ve only ever seen armed police once – that being in NI I believe.

[MartynSinclair]

The Radisson incident gave me a real scare. Last summer I saw a film that could have been modelled in part over the Radisson siege..and it was not a nice film..

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1781922/

I am currently on the 24th floor of a similar hotel….

@Speedbird189 – I wish it would…

[AMcWhirter]

Eurostar is now allowing passengers to change their plans for Brussels. But for this weekend only.

http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/service-information/eurostar-service-update

[stevescoots]

@ Martyn, I watched the same film Friday night, nothing on TV and it was in my collection of knock off DVD’s i was taking home. Coincidently the same day of the Mali incident. I don’t rate Owen Wilson at all, and PB is PB being PB post 007 yet again. But it as an enjoyable and prophetic film, one of those “what would you do” films and very close to home for many of of considering how often we stay in hotels in faraway places that are the main congregation for westerners so an easy target.

[Charles-P]

The security alert continues this morning in Brussels. The Metro remains closed and there are very few taxis around. All bars were asked to close at six last night and the streets are pretty much deserted apart from army and police patrols. Flights to and from Brussels are continuing as scheduled but transportation to and from the airport is problematic. People are being told to avoid congregating in large groups and most sporting events are cancelled today.

In a press conference the Prime Minister said they had “concrete evidence” of an impending attack which was probably going to be a multiple attack like the Paris one

[AMcWhirter]

The security alert is now extended into Monday.

Stuart Webb of Channel 4 news has just tweeted: “Hotel staff have now been told by the military to lock the hotel doors so no guests can leave …”

[Charles-P]

Situation Monday morning.

I drove through Brussels this morning on my way to the office and everything is very quiet. The Metro is still closed and many people have taken the day off judging by the few people on the streets. The area around the airport still has military patrols. Overnight there were a number of raids and arrests and the security presence around key parts of the city is still very high profile.
Those people arriving at Brussels Zaventem will find it difficult to get a taxi although the mainline rail system is working as normal but with some station closures.

[LuganoPirate]

Amazing how it’s “Je suis Charlie” and “je suis Paris” for a European attack, but no “je suis Bamako”! Do we only have a sense of outrage, grief and solidarity when it comes to attacks carried out on Western soil?

[MartynSinclair]

@LP – there are other nations where MURDERS and TERRORIST atrocities have taken place this week, including the murder of children, but there is no mention in the press.

However, if I mention where, I will get shot down (quite rightly) as this is meant to be business travel forum!

Safe travels all….

[Charles-P]

MartynSinclair – I can only agree with you. A number of my Turkish friends have questioned why there was not this much coverage and reaction when an ISIS bomb went off in Ankara and killed 128 people many of them students. Where was the European outrage when an aircraft full of Russian holidaymakers was blown out of the sky ?

As a young soldier in Northern Ireland during the ‘Troubles’ we used to talk about a bomb or attack being “big enough” meaning was it big enough to make the news that night on the mainland, regretfully most were not.

[conshaldow]

@ LuganoPirate + MartynSinclair

Totally agree with your remarks. I understand westerners can relate more to the attacks in Paris as opposed to other locations in other parts of the world, however I feel the western press have a lot to answer for with regards to the state of almost pandemonium across many European cities at the moment.

I also feel a serious lack of coverage of these other know atrocities to be disrespectful to the victims and their families, as well as to international journalism. Simply put western journalists are more interested in looking after their own as it will sell more issues/accumulate more internet hits.

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