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WORLD NEWSTuesday 24 November 2015
Citing “serious and imminent” threat, Brussels extends high alert
RAF CASERT Salah Abdeslam was pin- A woman looks at a map as Belgian Army soldiers patrol in the historic Grand Place in the center
ELAINE GANLEY pointed by geolocalization of Brussels on Monday, Nov. 23, 2015. Citing a “serious and imminent” threat of attack, Belgium’s
Associated Press on the day of the Paris at- prime minister announced Monday that Brussels will remain at the highest alert level for at least
BRUSSELS (AP) — Citing a tacks, two police officials another week.
“serious and imminent” said. The officials spoke
threat of attack, Belgium’s on condition of anonym- (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
prime minister announced ity because they were not
Monday that Brussels will authorized to discuss the continued high alert level, the subway system begin- against the Islamic State
remain at the highest alert investigation. Belgian Prime schools would reopen on ning to operate the same extremists in Syria.
level for at least another Minister Charles Michel said Wednesday, with parts of day. He did not say when Cameron and French Presi-
week, maintaining secu- Brussels, which houses the the system would be com- dent Francois Hollande
rity measures that have se- headquarters of the Eu- pletely online again. paid a visit to the Bataclan
verely disrupted normal life ropean Union and NATO, “We are very alert and call concert hall, which saw the
in the capital. faced a “serious and immi- for caution,” Michel said. worst of the carnage. Seek-
In France, police said an nent” threat that required “The potential targets re- ing a unified strategy on
explosive vest without a keeping the city at the main the same; shopping Syria, Hollande meets Tues-
detonator was found by a highest alert level, while the centers and shopping day with President Barack
street cleaner in a pile of rest of the country would streets and public trans- Obama and with German
rubble in the southern Paris stay at the second-highest port.” Chancellor Angela Merkel
suburb of Montrouge and level. Belgium’s crisis center “We want to return to a on Wednesday, before
was being analyzed by in- said the alert level would normal way of life as quick- traveling to Moscow on
vestigators. A police official only change if a significant ly as possible,” he added. Thursday to meet with Rus-
said the vest contained breakthrough warranted it. The unprecedented se- sian President Vladimir Pu-
bolts and the same type The increased security curity measures come as tin. France’s Defense Min-
of explosives as those used measures in the wake of authorities hunt for one or istry said it had launched
in the Nov. 13 Paris attacks the Nov. 13 massacre in more suspected extremists, its first airstrikes from the
that claimed 130 lives and Paris have virtually shut including Abdeslam. Charles de Gaulle aircraft
left hundreds wounded. down the Belgian capital, Belgian authorities have carrier, bombing IS targets
The device was found with the subway system, not announced any details in the Iraqi cities of Ramadi
Monday in the same area many shops and schools of their investigation into and Mosul in a seven-hour
where a cellphone be- remaining shut on Monday. potential attacks nor have operation. The ministry said
longing to fugitive suspect Michel said that despite the they released any informa- four Rafale fighter jets were
tion about four suspects sent from the carrier Mon-
who have been arrested day afternoon. France has
and charged with terror- already carried out strikes
ism-related offenses. These against IS targets in Syria.
include one suspect who Britain has been carrying
was arrested as part of a out airstrikes in Iraq, and
sweep that saw 21 people Cameron has long wanted
detained since Sunday an expanded mandate
night. Fifteen have since to include targets in Syria.
been released. But his government had
Earlier Monday, British been reluctant to suggest
Prime Minister David Cam- a parliamentary vote until
eron said during a visit to it could be certain of win-
Paris that he would seek ning it.
parliamentary approval A series of raids in Belgium
for the U.K. to join the air- began late Sunday, cap-
strikes begin carried out by ping a tense weekend that
the U.S., France, Russia and saw hundreds of troops pa-
other nations in the region trolling streets.q
