Brussels Terror Alert Lifted to Highest Level Prime Minister Charles Michel warns of ‘serious and imminent threat’ By Gabriele Steinhauser, Tom Fairless and Natalia Drozdiak
http://www.wsj.com/articles/belgium-lifts-terror-alert-to-highest-level-in-brussels-1448097741
“The level four was set for Brussels based on a serious and imminent threat,” Mr. Michel said at a news conference following a meeting with cabinet members. “This is the result of relatively precise information of a risk of attacks, similar to those that took place in Paris.”
The move meant the city’s metro system was closed until Sunday, some tram stations stopped operating and soldiers were deployed outside the entrances of many hotels and throughout the capital. It came a week after Paris was struck by a series of attacks that killed 130 people, which French authorities have said were plotted in Brussels.
Mr. Michel said public transport as well as shopping districts were at particular risk. He declined to give further details on continuing investigations and whether any specific terrorist plots had been thwarted.
The U.S. Embassy in Brussels urged Americans to “shelter in place,” stay at home and avoid public transit. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, whose headquarters are in Brussels, also recommended that staff and their families avoid public transit and public gatherings in Brussels. The city is also home to the European Commission and many European Union institutions.
There were few details about the specific intelligence that led Belgian authorities to issue the terror warning or prompt the U.S. and NATO to issue guidance to their personnel. Officials said releasing more information could jeopardize investigations.
“We are speaking of threats where several individuals, using arms and explosives, could undertake actions, maybe in several places at the same time,” Mr. Michel said.
The streets of Brussels were far emptier than usual.
On Rue Neuve, the main shopping street in downtown Brussels, almost every store was closed. Around midday, security guards were clearing shoppers out of a few stores that had stayed open.
“I am the last of the Mohicans,” said Giuseppe Alletto, the manager of Shoe Discount, one of the last stores to remain open.
“The fear is there, but we mustn’t give in to panic,” Mr. Alletto said. He said he was monitoring the situation closely but would try to keep his doors open. “We must stay positive, also for economic reasons,” he said.
ENLARGE The military presence was heavy in the narrow, medieval streets of central Brussels. Army personnel carriers and other military vehicles were stationed every few hundred yards, soldiers guarded hotels and police were positioned at the entrance to the city’s eerily quiet central square, known as Grand Place.
At Brussels Central Station—usually bustling but on Saturday nearly deserted—military vehicles were parked in prominent positions and teams of heavily armed soldiers and police roamed.
Some people appeared relatively unfazed. Matilda, taking orders at Starbucks inside the station, said she had reassured her family that she was “statistically more likely to be radicalized than be the target” of terrorism.
The raising of the terror alert level meant concerts and soccer matches were cancelled. Matches outside of Brussels will still take place, the Belgian Football Association said.
Rudi Vervoort, the head of the Brussels regional government, said the cancellations were aimed at freeing up security personnel for other efforts.
Belgian authorities over the past week have stormed residences across Brussels in their hunt for more clues about some of the suspected Paris attackers, who appear to have planned the onslaught in Belgium.
Authorities are scouring Belgium for Salah Abdeslam, 26 years old, who is suspected of renting a car used in the attacks.
Belgian prosecutors on Friday said one man had been charged in connection with the attacks and had been placed in custody.
Two other men, Hamza Attou and Mohamed Amri, were also arrested after driving Mr. Abdeslam back to Belgium from France. A lawyer for Mr. Attou said both of the drivers said they didn’t know that Mr. Abdeslam had any involvement in the Paris attacks.
Mr. Michel said the Belgian Crisis Center would reassess the threat level on Sunday.
Interior Minister Jan Jambon said the threat level for European Union institutions was maintained at three.
“There is no specific reason to bring the European institutions to the threat level four. That’s more for the regions of Brussels and not specifically for the EU institutions,” he said. “There is no specific threat for the institutions.”
Vilvoorde, a town outside of Brussels, also took additional security precautions. “[Vilvoorde] is an extension of Brussels and we are taking the same security measures there,” Mr. Jambon said.
Belgian residents reported difficulty getting to the airport, with taxis unavailable and much of the public transit system shut. The airport, outside the city, was at a lower terror alert. It said flights were operating as normal but authorities were advising increased vigilance.
The Eurostar train to Paris and London was continuing normal service in and out of Brussels, but was offering ticket exchanges.
—Valentina Pop and Robert Wall contributed to this article.
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