UPDATE From BBC

Brussels attacks: Two brothers behind Belgium bombings

Image copyright AFP
Image caption Khalid el-Bakraoui, the metro suicide bomber, and brother Brahim
Belgium under attack

Two of the suicide bombers who carried out attacks in Brussels on Tuesday have been named as brothers Khalid and Brahim el-Bakraoui, Belgian nationals.

The federal prosecutor said Brahim was part of the attack at Zaventem airport that killed 11 people. Khalid struck at Maelbeek metro, where 20 people died.

Two other attackers at the airport have not yet been identified. One of them died, another is on the run.

Prosecutors say Brahim left a note in which he wrote of his desperation.

Belgium is observing three days of national mourning. The nation held a minute’s silence at midday (11:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Belgium’s king and queen have visited the airport and met some of the 260 injured in hospital.

So-called Islamic State (IS) has said it was behind the attacks.

For more on this story go to: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35879141

From BBC

More than 30 people are believed to have been killed and dozens injured in attacks at Brussels international airport and a city metro station.

Twin blasts hit Zaventem airport at about 07:00 GMT, with 11 people reported killed.

Another explosion struck Maelbeek metro station near EU headquarters an hour later, leaving about 20 people dead.

Brussels police have issued a wanted notice for a man seen pushing a luggage trolley through the airport.

He was pictured in CCTV footage with two other suspects who are believed to have died in the blasts.

The Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind the attacks in a statement issued on the IS-linked Amaq agency.

Belgium has raised its terrorism alert to its highest level. Three days of national mourning have been declared.

Prime Minister Charles Michel called the latest attacks “blind, violent and cowardly”, adding: “This is a day of tragedy, a black day… I would like to call on everyone to show calmness and solidarity”.
‘The worst thing I’ve seen’

Two blasts tore through the departures area of Zaventem airport shortly after 08:00 local time (07:00 GMT).

A suicide bomber was “probably” involved, the Belgian prosecutor said.

Eleven people were killed and 81 wounded in the blasts, Belgian Health Minister Maggie de Block said.
Some witnesses reported hearing shots fired and shouts in Arabic before the two explosions.

Others said that people fled the first blast, only to get caught in the second.

A third bomb failed to detonate and was destroyed by the security services.

A local firefighter, Pierre Meys, described seeing “war injuries”.

“I think this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my career,” he said.

Media captionPeople fled Brussels airport after two explosions went off

“People were running over others that had fallen, I couldn’t breathe. I can’t believe I’m alive,” 15-year-old Antoine told me as he walked with his school friends in a line of hundreds being escorted on foot and by bus to a sports hall, now a makeshift reception centre.

Three hearses passed, heading towards the ruins of the airport departure hall. People sobbed at the sight of them.

Several tourists were asking police what they should do now, where it was safe to go – and when the airport might reopen.

The police were confused too, but offered what little information they had, telling people to head to a reception centre. An officer repeatedly shouted: “Quickly, keep moving, evacuate, this is serious.”
Carnage on the Metro

The metro blast occurred shortly after 08:00 GMT during the rush hour at Maelbeek station.

It struck the middle carriage of a three-carriage train while it was moving away from the platform.

Alexandre Brans told AP: “The metro was leaving Maelbeek station when there was a really loud explosion. It was panic everywhere. There were a lot of people in the metro.”

Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur said “about 20” people had died and more than 100 had been injured, 17 of them severely.

For more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869254

Statement on Brussels attacks By Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, MBE, JP, MLA

“We are saddened to hear of the deadly attacks at the airport and metro station in Brussels today. The world is becoming very unsafe as acts of terrorism increase. In this interconnected world there are few places on Earth that are immune from the impact of further escalations in this global war on terror. We will keep a watchful eye on the events of the day and remain vigilant. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been impacted by these vicious acts of violence.”

Flags Lowered for Brussels Victims

Flags at the Government Administration Building in Elgin Avenue were lowered to half-mast today (Tuesday, 22 March 2016) as a mark of respect for the victims of terror attacks in Brussels, Belgium earlier in the day.

More than 30 people are believed to have been killed and at least 230 more injured in blasts at the Brussels international airport and a city metro station.

Premier, Hon. Alden McLaughlin oversaw the lowering of the flags around 1 p.m. which will remain in that position until 8 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).

Flags should be flown at half-mast on all government and public buildings throughout the Cayman Islands during this period.

The correct procedure for half-masting a flag is to raise the flag to the normal flying position and then to lower to one-third below that. If more than one flag is flown, any others should also preferably be half-masted. (GIS)

Photo caption: Premier Alden McLaughlin oversaw the lowering of the flags.