10 killed in double explosion at Brussels’ Zaventem Arport – 20 killed at Maelbek metro station

Four days after the arrest in Brussels of Salah Abdeslam, the known IS terrorist believed to have been heavily involved in the terrorist attacks in Paris, the Belgian capital has been rocked by three explosions. Two of these took place early in the day at the city’s Zaventem Airport where 11 people are believed to have died and 85 have been badly injured, and one explosion occurred in the city’s Maelbeek metro station close to the EU headquarters and which is understood to have killed 20 people, injuring a further 130. IS have claimed full responsibility for the suicide terrorist attacks.
Reports since the attack have confirmed that one of the explosions occurred in the departure hall which requires no security check to reach. It has also been revealed that a third bomb was discovered and detonated under controlled conditions. The whole city is now under ‘lockdown’ and the airport will be closed tomorrow, but is expected to reopen again on Thursday. Travellers are being advised not to travel to Brussels unless absolutely necessary.
As the whole of Europe ups it state of alert against terrorist attacks, airport security in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland were immediately increased. Petteri Orpo, Finland’s Interior Minister posted on Twitter “Finnish security officials have increased monitoring at Helsinki-Vantaa airport.”
Swedish police have increased their presence at all airports, while in Oslo, Norway, police will once again be armed, which they have previously been during periods of high security alert. Danish police confirmed their increased presence at major airports via Twitter, “We are aware of what has happened in Brussels. Therefore you will see more police in the airport and at key points in Copenhagen.”
It was reported by Flemish Broadcaster VTM that having reduced the security cordon around Zaventem Airport after police had completed a security sweep, this has been re-established subsequent to the discovery of a suspicious package.