Lockdown enters 2nd day

Brussels hunts for suspects

AFP, BRUSSELS: The Belgian capital was locked down for a second day Sunday with police and troops on the streets as the authorities hunted for several suspects linked to the Paris attacks.
With the world on edge over the jihadist threat, US President Barack Obama said the most powerful tool to fight the terror of the Islamic State extremist group was to say “that we are not afraid”.
In Paris, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said a chemical or biological attack “was among the risks” but that all possible precautions had been taken.
Belgian officials were due to meet later Sunday to decide whether to extend the security alert in Brussels, imposed over fears jihadists were plotting similar strikes to the attacks in Paris which left 130 people dead on November 13.
The city’s metro system and public buildings were closed on Saturday, with shops and restaurants following suit after the terror alert was raised to the highest level of four because of what officials said was an “imminent threat.”
Central Brussels, usually bustling on a Saturday evening, was virtually deserted, with police and troops on patrol.
Interior Minister Jan Jambon said the authorities were looking not just for Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam who managed to slip past French security forces after the carnage in the City of Light.
He warned that the capture of Abdeslam, a Belgian-born 26-year-old whose brother blew himself up at a cafe in Paris, would not in itself end the threat.
“It involves several suspects and that is why we have put in place such exceptional measures,” the Belga news agency cited Jambon as telling Flemish television.
“We are following the situation minute by minute... there is a real threat but we are doing everything possible day and night to face up to this situation,” Jambon said.
Belgium and the capital, home to the European Union and NATO, are no strangers to Islamist violence.
Four people were shot dead at the Brussels Jewish museum last year, and in January security forces killed two suspects linked to the Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris.

Lockdown enters 2nd day

Brussels hunts for suspects

AFP, BRUSSELS: The Belgian capital was locked down for a second day Sunday with police and troops on the streets as the authorities hunted for several suspects linked to the Paris attacks. With the world on edge over the jihadist threat, US President Barack Obama said the most powerful tool to fight the terror of the Islamic State extremist group was to say that we are not afraid. In Paris, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said a chemical or biological attack was among the risks but that all possible precautions had been taken. Belgian officials were due to meet later Sunday to decide whether to extend the security alert in Brussels, imposed over fears jihadists were plotting similar strikes to the attacks in Paris which left 130 people dead on November 13. The citys metro system and public buildings were closed on Saturday, with shops and restaurants following suit after the terror alert was raised to the highest level of four because of what officials said was an imminent threat. Central Brussels, usually bustling on a Saturday evening, was virtually deserted, with police and troops on patrol. Interior Minister Jan Jambon said the authorities were looking not just for Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam who managed to slip past French security forces after the carnage in the City of Light. He warned that the capture of Abdeslam, a Belgian-born 26-year-old whose brother blew himself up at a cafe in Paris, would not in itself end the threat. It involves several suspects and that is why we have put in place such exceptional measures, the Belga news agency cited Jambon as telling Flemish television. We are following the situation minute by minute... there is a real threat but we are doing everything possible day and night to face up to this situation, Jambon said. Belgium and the capital, home to the European Union and NATO, are no strangers to Islamist violence. Four people were shot dead at the Brussels Jewish museum last year, and in January security forces killed two suspects linked to the Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris.