Brussels Belgium On Highest Terror Alert: ‘Serious And Imminent Threat’ Warned

Officials in Belgium have put the capitol city of Brussels on the nation’s highest terror alert level, according to CNN. Authorities warned of a “serious and imminent threat.”

The alert went on to warn that specific security measures should be taken, and even listed recommendations to keep the populous of the city safe. The warnings issued in Brussels, Belgium come just over a week after the Paris terror attacks that killed 130 and injured over 350.

The announcement was made late November 20, EST at the behest of the Crisis Centre of the Belgian Interior Ministry, and the warnings given were specific and to the point.

Citizens were expressly warned to avoid large gatherings and venues that cater to crowds, including concerts (a stark reminder of the carnage that took place at the Bataclan theater in Paris on November 13), sports events and even mass transit hubs including airports and train depots. The populous is also being advised to comply with any security checks that may be deemed necessary.

In effect, if the security measures advised are heeded by the public, Brussels will be all but a ghost-town tomorrow. While the terror alert level in Brussels has been raised to the highest level, the rest of Belgium will stay at the current alert level.

A terrorism expert working for CNN is not mincing words about the seriousness of the steps taken by authorities in Belgium to safeguard the well-being of the population of Brussels. Paul Cruickshank told reporters that the action being taken in Brussels indicates that those in the know in the intelligence community have gotten their hands on specific intelligence that has been deemed credible, perhaps specifics related to a terror plot in the works.

“It also suggests they don’t have a handle on it, that they don’t know where these plotters are or where they’re coming from.”

Since the terror attacks in Paris just over a week ago, international authorities have been seeking Salah Abdeslam in connection with the carnage. The last time he was spotted, according to the Independent, was in Brussels, Belgium on November 17. He reportedly “chickened out” on participating in the Paris attacks, and may be on the run from ISIS as well as international authorities.

Salah Abdeslam was previously known to authorities in Brussels, Belgium as a small-time criminal. Like several others connected to the Paris terror attacks, Salah Abdeslam had ties to Belgium; reports state that he lived in Brussels.

The most recent terror alert upgrade in Brussels, Belgium comes just hours after a terror attack in Mali, which killed 27 people. The Mali terror attacks took place after gunmen were seen in a vehicle with diplomatic license plates. The attackers were seen tossing grenades as they stormed the Mali Radisson Blu Hotel, according to the New York Daily News. Unlike the Paris terror attacks, which had Brussels ties and were perpetrated by ISIS, an Al Qaeda-affiliate group has claimed responsibility for the Mali attacks.

Citizens of Brussels, Belgium have been warned of the potential of an impending terror attack, and the city is now on edge following the rising of the terror alert level. Citizens have been given the best advice their government can offer them to protect their safety, which ultimately seems to amount to the Brussels equivalent of the U.S. phrase “shelter in place.” By heeding these warnings and following the advice of authorities, particularly to avoid congregating in large groups, the populous of Brussels, Belgium can avoid making themselves easy targets for terrorists trying to inflict maximum casualties on innocents.

Belgium has the highest proportion of Syrian fighters as a share of its population https://t.co/fuhxlfy4Cg pic.twitter.com/0iv6RKsta1

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) November 20, 2015

By adhering to the security measures put in place by anti-terrorism experts, the citizens of Brussels will also be doing their part to help authorities investigate their intelligence by keeping the situation under control, and possibly even thwart any terror attacks that may be imminent.

It’s a tense time the across the globe following the two major terror attacks of the last eight days. It has most certainly been even more tense in Brussels since the news broke that several of the terrorists responsible for the horror that unfolded in Paris had ties to the city.

Today and always, the world remains solidly united in hope and good vibes for the continued safety of those in Brussels, Belgium and around the globe.

[Image Courtesy of Andreas Rentz/Getty Images]