Paris Attack: Belgium Extends Brussels, shut down Schools
Posted by admin | 8 years ago | 2,487 times
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has confirmed that schools will be shut down and a state of emergency continues in Brussels. The police are also said to have continued to hunt for suspects from the Paris attacks.
At a press conference on Sunday evening, Michel said that Brussels' metro system will also remain closed on Monday because of a "serious and imminent" threat.
"What we fear is an attack similar to the one in Paris, with several individuals who could also possibly launch several attacks at the same time in multiple locations," Michel told a press conference in Brussels.
Possible targets were malls, shops and public transport, Michel said, adding the government would boost police and army presence in the capital.
Security officials met on Sunday afternoon to decide whether to extend the emergency measures which have been in place since Saturday amid concerns that a "Paris-style" attack is imminent in Brussels
For the rest of the country, a threat level of three on a four-tier scale would remain in place, Michel added.
Warnings on movement remained in place as authorities continued their efforts to track down one of the men believed to be involved in the attack on the French capital last week that killed 130 people.
Salah Abdesalam, a Belgian national, is suspected to be hiding in the Brussels area and carrying what might be an explosive device.
Michel moved to increase the state of alert in Brussels to the highest level early on Saturday in response to the threat.
Metro services and major events have since been suspended as hundreds of police officers and soldiers fanned out across the city.
Residents have been asked to stay indoors and avoid crowded areas amid the alert, which is in force only in Brussels.
Emergency phone lines have been set up to report suspicious activity, as well as sightings of Abdesalam.
Belgium has been at the forefront of efforts to track down those involved in helping execute the November 13 attacks in Paris, which targeted a concert hall, football stadium, cafe and shopping mall
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