Explosions in Belgium

[soccerguy315]

metadata is very powerful, and law enforcement agencies are not supposed to have access to what places like the NSA are doing.

It does get messy in some instances, as terrorism continually crosses the line between military and law enforcement.

I don’t think there are many people that believe the intelligence apparatus used to fight terrorism should be turned on common criminals.

[greenwitch]

Amazing. If you’re a landlord, and you smell a strong chemical, and the living room door is always closed and the windows are always open. In winter. CALL THE POLICE! If you’re a taxi driver, and someone’s “strangely heavy” luggage reeks of some chemical…

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/27/world/europe/in-brussels-bombing-plot-a-trail-of-dots-not-connected.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

And was it really true, the lawmakers demanded, that the authorities had received a precise tip in December about the possible whereabouts of Salah Abdeslam, the only known survivor among the terrorists responsible for the Paris attacks, who was finally captured in Brussels on March 18? He was found at the address cited in the December tip-off, which had not been acted on because it had not been passed up the police chain of command.

Mr. Rodrigues, the building’s owner, said he saw Mr. Laachraoui visit the building two or three times a week. Bought last year by Mr. Rodrigues, who promptly evicted the previous residents and began renovating the run-down property, it was mostly empty except for builders, meaning that young men arriving with barrels of chemicals were unlikely to arouse much suspicion.

Oh no, construction does NOT involve barrels of chemicals! They should always raise suspicion.

Mr. Rodrigues said that while he was mystified by the odor, he never reported anything amiss to the police.

But at least one resident in the area did, not because of the smell but because of strange comings and goings from the building. Rachid Ghaddih, a longtime local resident who lives around the corner, said nobody in the neighborhood suspected anything related to terrorism but added that the strange goings-on at the building had been brought to the attention of the local agent de quartier, a police officer responsible for keeping a registry of residents and other tasks.

The agent de quartier, Philippe Swinnen, declined to be interviewed. Mr. Rodrigues said the officer had stopped by the building at least twice to check whether the names of residents were properly listed, but never entered because the Bakraouis did not list their names. “It took him three months to figure out that people were living” on the top floor, Mr. Rodrigues said, adding: “But it was too late. That’s how things work in Schaerbeek.”

This is just really sad. I hope they get their act together.

[GMTplus7]

Brussels airport is reopening with limited service. Car access to the airport is going to be restricted, and passengers are being screened outside the building.

I wonder when the same revised security practices will be adopted by major US airports.

[Pizzagirl]

I can’t imagine the damage that not having the Brussels airport does to their economy. I heard on the news that the Atlanta-Brussels direct flights are going to be reopened for many months, and ditto for other fairly new routes.

[lje62]

" Brussels airport is reopening with limited service. Car access to the airport is going to be restricted, and passengers are being screened outside the building.

I wonder when the same revised security practices will be adopted by major US airports. "

Am I the only one who thinks that this measure will just bring the targets outside , or wherever the crowds gather to get to the airport ?

[Pizzagirl]

Yeah. Honestly I don’t see the point. Bad guys can bomb subways, bus terminals, train stations, amusement parks, sports stadiums, churches, malls, movie theaters, wherever they like. There’s nothing magical about airports except insofar as it’s a good gathering place for a crowd.

[GMTplus7]

@lje62

The point is flights could still operate, including cargo flights. Airports are not just lounges for air passengers; they are VITAL economic engines.

FYI. Passenger & cargo volume thru BRU
http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/mediaroom/news/64620/

I wonder what the toll is on Belgium’s GDP by the closure of the biggest airport in the country.

[lje62]

Oh, I see your point GMT , but I feel like this won’t necessarily stop future attacks on airports , only move the location for
attacks.
I remember when the entire city of Boston had to shelter in place the day they caught the younger Tsarnaev brother…the financial impact was huge

[Iglooo]

According to this, Lybia seems to be the turning point for ISIS and refuge crisis.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/obama-admits-libya-was-worst-mistake/ar-BBrBBX5?li=BBnb7Kz