2015 Brussels lockdown
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| 2015 Brussels lockdown | |
|---|---|
 Location of Brussels within Belgium |
|
| Type | Lockdown |
| Location | Brussels, Belgium |
| Objective | Prevention of an imminent Paris-style attack and capture of fugitive Salah Abdeslam |
| Date | 21 November 2015 – present |
On 21 November 2015 the government of Belgium imposed a security lockdown on Brussels, including the closure of shops and public transportation, due to information about potential terrorist attacks in the wake of the series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on November 13.[1][2][3][4][5]
One of the perpetrators of the attack, the Belgian-born French national Salah Abdeslam, was thought to be hiding in Brussels. Warning of a serious and imminent threat, the city's terror alert level was raised to level four, and people were advised not to congregate publicly, effectively putting Brussels under lockdown.[1][2][4][5]
On the first day of the lockdown, Haaretz described, "an atmosphere of war. Army convoys passed through the streets. Armored cars were posted at central points, outside the royal palace, and at underground railway stations."[6]
On Monday, 23 November, the third day of the lockdown, Prime Minister Charles Michel announced that the lockdown measures would stay in place, "for at least another week."[7]
All schools and universities were closed on Monday, along with the subway.
Arrests and charges[edit]
Over the weekend police conducted at least 20 raids around the city and nearby areas, making 16 arrests but releasing 15 of these people.[8] Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said November 23 that a man had been charged with involvement in the Paris terrorist attacks and for membership of a terrorist organization.[9]
On Monday 21 more arrests were made, with 17 released.[10]
Precedents[edit]
Lockdowns of entire urban areas have been rare. One previous example was the lockdown of Boston in April 2013 as police hunted for the Islamist terrorists responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing.[11][12][13]
See also[edit]
- 2015 anti-terrorism operations in Belgium (January)
- 2015 Saint-Denis raid (November)
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Brussels in lockdown after terror threat level is raised to maximum". The Guardian. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Brussels shutdown as manhunt for Paris fugitive Abdeslam continues". BBC News. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ "Paris attacks: Brussels on high alert". BBC News. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ a b Higgins, Andrew; de Freytas-Tamura, Kimiko (21 November 2015). "Brussels Placed at Highest Alert Level; Subway Is Closed". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ a b Jamieson, Alastair; Winter, Tom; Akyavas, Aziz; Lavanga, Claudio (21 November 2015). "Brussels on Terror Lockdown Amid Threat of Paris-Style Attack". NBC News. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ Papirblat, Shlomo (21 November 2015). "Terror Alert Turns Brussels Into a Dead City on War Footing". Haaretz. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
- ^ Burke, Jason (23 November 2115). "Brussels to stay in lockdown 'for at least another week'". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2015. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ^ http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/22/brussels-lockdown-arrests-made-shots-fired-in-salah-abdeslam-hunt.html
- ^ http://www.wsj.com/articles/brussels-on-edge-as-lockdown-continues-1448280916
- ^ http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/22/brussels-lockdown-arrests-made-shots-fired-in-salah-abdeslam-hunt.html
- ^ This Is What It Looks Like When the Police Shut Down a City, The Atlantic Wire, 19 Apr 2013. Retrieved Jun 2013.
- ^ A Town Under Siege: Watertown Residents Describe Life Under Lockdown, Time, 19 Apr 2013. Retrieved Jun 2013.
- ^ Boston faces lockdown as police hunt for marathon bombing suspect, The Guardian, 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
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