Live updates: Attacks in Brussels

FBI agents and New York Police detectives will be going overseas to investigate the attacks in Belgium, according to a top New York police official.

“Because there are Americans among the casualties and U.S. persons in the attack in Belgium, that will be an FBI investigation coming out of the New York City Joint Terrorism Task Force,” New York deputy police commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism John Miller said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. “We expect agents and New York City detectives, who are Task Force officers, to be gearing up to leave for that investigation overseas as early as tonight or tomorrow.”

Three Mormon missionaries from Utah were seriously injured in Tuesday’s attacks, according to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Miller said, “We have been in constant touch with our overseas partners, with our detectives who are in their foreign posts, in their liaison posts, who have been reporting back to us throughout the day.”

Authorities evacuated a section of Denver International Airport Tuesday while a local police department bomb squad investigated boxes that were left near the check in area, according to airport and FBI spokespeople.

The packages were later deemed not to be a threat.

The airport said in a statement that police evacuated a section on the west side of the main terminal, and vehicle traffic was stopped on the same side. Deborah Sherman, a spokeswoman for the FBI in Denver, said bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in to investigate boxes left by the check-in area near American Airlines, and when the dog alerted on something amiss, the section of the airport was evacuated.

[Follow Denver International Airport’s Twitter for updates on the situation]

Sherman said suspicious packages at the airport are not unusual, nor would it be uncommon for a bomb-sniffing dog to alert on something that turned out to be harmless. She said Denver police led the investigation, though the FBI was on the scene.

“It’s just out of an abundance of caution because, of course, what is going on in our world today,” Sherman said. “Nobody wants to take any chances.”

An airport spokesman said, though, that airport officials always move swiftly to investigate possible threats.

“I think this is the same reaction we would have on any day of the week,” Heath Montgomery, the spokesman, said.

The airport said in a statement that the American, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Lufthansa and British Airways ticket counters were affected and flight delays were possible.

(This post has been updated.)

The Switch has posted a heat map that shows how news of the attacks spread across Twitter.

It features tweets, tagged with location information, that included the word “Brussels” and were sent between 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday.

Source: Twitter. Made with CartoDB. (Kennedy Elliott/The Washington Post)

Read more here.

President Obama has ordered that the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff, in honor of those killed in Tuesday’s attacks. The order will stand until sunset Saturday.

“The American people stand with the people of Brussels,” he said in the proclamation announcing the order. “We will do whatever it takes, working with nations and peoples around the world, to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice, and to go after terrorists who threaten our people.”

The U.S. service member wounded in the Brussels attacks is an Air Force airman stationed in the Netherlands, writes the Post’s Dan Lamothe.

The wounded airman is a member of Joint Force Command Brunssum in the Netherlands, Pentagon officials said in a statement. The command is a part of NATO, and focused primarily on providing command and control to the coalition’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

The injuries to the service member and his family were withheld due to privacy concerns.

“We are saddened by today’s attacks and extend our sincere condolences to the victims and families of those impacted,” Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said in a statement. “Our priority at this time is the safety and well-being of our airmen and their families.”

Read the full story.

Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, chief of the U.S. European Command, on Tuesday ordered restrictions to non-essential travel to Brussels, following attacks in the city.

The restrictions were described in a news release as a “precautionary measure to keep personnel and families safe.” They applied to military personnel, civilian employees of the Defense Department, military contractors and military family members.

Unofficial travel to the Belgian capital — for those on leave, on liberty and those traveling while using a special pass — was “prohibited until further notice,” according to the release. Those traveling on official business or for emergency leave needed approval, the release stated.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the spire of One World Trade Center will stand in solidarity with others around the world displaying Belgian national colors.

“New York stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Belgium and the rest of the world in rejecting the hate and extremism behind this violence,” Cuomo said in a statement. “As we have seen time and again, when we are united, terror has never prevailed and never will.”

In November, the 408-foot spire was illuminated in blue, white and red, the French tricolors, to honor those killed in the terrorist attacks in Paris.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, left, speaks to news media in Paris. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty)

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve cautioned Tuesday night against rash theories connecting the Brussels attacks to the terrorist attacks in Paris in November that left 130 dead.

“We can say however that there’s a high level of threat throughout Europe,” Cazeneuve told television station France 2. “We have been hit, today it’s the Belgians, and other capitals could be [attacked] too.”

A man writes on the ground ‘Christian and Muslim equals humanity’ in tribute to victims at a makeshift memorial in front of the stock exchange at the Place de la Bourse (Beursplein) in Brussels on Tuesday. (Aurore Belot/Belga via Getty-AFP)

Muslim leaders in a country that has struggled with religious tension strongly condemned the attacks on Tuesday. The League of Belgian Imams, in a statement quoted by the local news agency RTBF, expressed solidarity and condolences for the families of the victims.

“Faced with this tragedy, the League of Belgian Imams calls for the solidarity and unity of all of the citizens of our country, all faiths,” the statement read, “to overcome this challenge and not fall into the traps set by those who want to overthrow the values of tolerance and togetherness for which we have always worked together and for which we need to invest more than ever.”

Another organization, Muslims in Belgium, condemned “acts of extreme cruelty committed against innocent citizens” and said the tragedy threatens to damage the efforts of the organization, Belgian society and Muslims throughout the country to live together.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Tuesday afternoon that American authorities “will do what we can to help Belgian authorities bring to justice those responsible for the attacks. ”

“At present, we have no specific, credible intelligence of any plot to conduct similar attacks here in the United States,” Johnson said in a statement. “That said, we remain very focused on the threat posed by lone terrorist actors who may lack direct connection to a foreign terrorist organization; we are concerned that such radicalized individuals or small groups could carry out an attack in the Homeland with little warning.”

He added: “We also remain very engaged in the effort to identify and disrupt foreign terrorist fighters who may seek to travel to or from the United States.”

As a precautionary measure, the Transportation Security Administration “is deploying additional security to major city airports in the United States, and at various rail and transit stations around the country,” Johnson said.

President Obama and his family stand during a moment of silence prior to a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cuba’s national team at Estadio Latinoamericano in Havana on Tuesday. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Hours after the attacks in Belgium, President Obama attended a baseball game in Cuba and joined the crowd in observing a moment of silence.

Then, during the exhibition between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban national team, Obama joined ESPN for an interview.

“This is just one more example of why the entire world has to unite against these terrorists,” Obama said. “The notion that any political agenda justifies the killing of innocent people like this is something that is beyond the pale. We’re going to continue with over 60 nations pounding ISIL. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those whose live have been lost and hope for a speedy recovery to those who have been injured.”

The president said he decided to attend the game even after the attacks because the “whole premise of terrorism is to disrupt people’s lives.”

He recalled the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, saying one of his “most powerful memories and proudest moments as president was watching Boston respond.” He referred to Red Sox slugger David Ortiz’s defiant statement about how strong Boston was, about how the city was not going to be intimidated — “perhaps the only time America was not upset about someone cursing on TV.”

“That’s the resilience and strength we need to show in the face of the terrorists,” Obama said. “They cannot defeat America. They don’t produce anything. They do not have a message that appeals to a majority of Muslims and people around the world. What they can do is strike fear and disrupt our daily lives and divide us.”

— David Nakamura 

The Washington Post’s national security correspondent Greg Miller explains why terrorists are targeting Brussels in this video below:

The Post’s Adam Taylor contributed.

NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo was at the airport in Brussels during Tuesday’s attacks, but wasn’t hurt in the explosions.

“God is good,” Mutombo wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. “I am in Brussels Airport with this craziness. I am fine.”

The Washington Post’s Cindy Boren reports:

Mutombo had been in the Congo to speak at the Saving Lives Through the Prevention and Treatment of Cervical Cancer Conference, according to his foundation’s Facebook page.

“Today we bow our heads in remembrance for those who lost their lives in Brussels,” the foundation’s statement said. “And we give thanks for all of the first responders offering support, strength, and solidarity to everyone impacted by these horrible tragedies. To those who are asking for an update — Dikembe was at the Brussels airport when the bombing happened this morning, and was thankfully unharmed. Local authorities are working to move everyone to safe locations while the City navigates through this act of terror. Please join us in keeping Brussels in your thoughts and prayers.”

Read more here.

An X-ray of a person injured in the Brussels terror attacks. (Stringer/EPA)

A stunning X-ray photo shows a screw or nail embedded in the chest of a person injured during the attacks on Brussels for which the Islamic State has claimed responsibility. The patient in the stark image was being treated at the Military Hospital in Neder-Over-Heembeek. The person’s condition is unknown.

Multiple people also arrived at University Hospital Gasthuisberg with cuts from nails and glass, spokesman Marc Decramer said.

Injuries are being treated at 15 hospitals across Belgium, Health Minister Maggie De Block told Politico. So far, at least 32 people are reported dead, and hundreds are injured. 

The Red Cross says they have 30 ambulances tending to the attack sites, and 30 more waiting in the wings.

To see photos at ground zero of the attacks, click through the following photo gallery:

Seb Bellin, who played college basketball at Oakland University in Michigan, was among those injured in Tuesday’s attacks in Brussels, his former college coach said Tuesday.

The Washington Post’s Cindy Boren reports:

Bellin now works for Keemotion, a company that automates filming of games, and was in the check-in line for his flight to the U.S. when the bomb exploded, sending shrapnel into his legs and hips.

“I knew he was flying into New York today because we had a call set up for Friday to discuss a player. He had just been dropped off at the airport and was at check-in when the bomb went off. He was about 100 meters from the explosion,” Kampe told The Washington Post by phone Tuesday afternoon.

“He has had one surgery and they said they got all the shrapnel out of his lower legs. He’s supposed to have another one to get the rest out of his hips.”

Read more here.

Police discovered an explosive device and an Islamic State flag during anti-terrorism house raids in the Schaerbeek region of Brussels, according to a Belgian federal prosecutor.

The explosive device contained nails resembling those found in the bombs at the airport, according to French daily Le Soir. Helicopters have been circling above Schaerbeek, the same neighborhood where Salah Abdeslam‘s fingerprints were found in December, according to Le Monde.

Update from #Schaerbeek pic.twitter.com/HA5ZcgmW6l

— anna holligan (@annaholligan) March 22, 2016

See other world landmarks: Eiffel Tower lights up in Belgian flag colors after Brussels attacks

More from Washington Post graphics: What we know about the attacks in Brussels

A U.S. service member was injured in Tuesday’s attacks in Brussels, The Washington Post’s Dan Lamothe reports. According to his report, members of the man’s family were also wounded in the attacks, which left more than 30 dead.

Lamothe reports:

Officials with U.S. European Command said in a statement that the organization continues to closely monitor events in Brussels, and is working with other U.S. agencies and Belgian authorities to determine appropriate security measures to take. One service member and his family “were caught up in this tragedy,” the statement said.

The detail was first reported by the independent Military Times newspaper chain after Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R.-N.J.), chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, said during a hearing that six Americans were injured in the attacks, including military family members.

“It’s horrendous,” the congressman said. “I’m sure we are meeting their needs.”

Read more here.

King Philippe addressed a nation in mourning Tuesday night, saying he and the queen were hurting for Belgium.

“Today our country is in mourning,” he said. “For each of us, the 22nd of March will never again be a day like the others. Broken lives, deep wounds, these pains are those of our entire country.”

King Philippe said he and his wife, Queen Mathilde, were grieving.

“Mathilde and I share your pain, those of you who have lost a loved one or been wounded by these cowardly and odious attacks today,” he said. “We express our full support for the members of the rescue and security services and our gratitude for all who spontaneously offered their help.

“Confronted by this menace, we will continue to respond with firmness, with calm and with dignity. Let’s keep faith in ourselves. It is that faith that makes us strong.”

Belgium’s King Philippe addresses his people following Tuesday’s terror attacks. (Pool photo by Nicolas Maeterlinck/Reuters)

After the Belgian monarchy called Tuesday’s attacks “odious” and extended condolences to the country, royal leaders across Europe reached out to Belgium’s King Philippe to show support.

King Philippe and his wife, Queen Mathilde, said on Twitter that they were “shocked” and sent thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. Throughout the day, monarchs from the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden responded.

The Netherlands released a statement saying Europe had once again been put to the test as its neighbor was struck by violence.

Norway’s monarchy expressed “great sadness” for both Belgians and Norwegians who were impacted by the attacks in Belgium.

Spain and Sweden said they stood with them in solidarity.

The State Department confirmed during an afternoon briefing that some U.S. citizens were injured in the Tuesday attacks in Brussels.

“We know that some U.S. citizens were injured in this attack,” spokesman John Kirby said, although he resisted assigning a number to that claim. He said he couldn’t elaborate on the conditions of the U.S. victims, saying “I don’t have any information with any details about the scope of injuries.”

Kirby also said that the State Department is aware of the Islamic State’s claims that it was behind the attack, but he did not have independent information confirming that.

“We cannot confirm the veracity of those claims, though clearly we believe the terorist group is capable of this sort of depravity,” he said.

The State Department is continuing to try to account for U.S. citizens in Brussels, including government personnel, all of whom it asked to shelter in place.

The United States is not immune to terrorist attacks, as the San Bernardino mass shooting demonstrated, write Matt Zapotosky and Adam Goldman.

… Its transit systems, particularly city subways, are vulnerable. But the United States is not grappling with the same volume of Islamic State recruits as its European peers, and sophisticated plots are far more likely to be ferreted out by law enforcement or neighbors, officials said.

“In the U.S., for the most part, communities don’t radicalize; individuals do,” said Seamus Hughes, the deputy director at the program on extremism at George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security and a former National Counterterrorism Center staffer.

Read the full story.

A screengrab of the airport security camera showing a suspect of this morning’s attacks at Brussels Airport, in Zaventem, pushing a trolly with suitcases. (Belgian Federal Police/AFP)

Belgian federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw said that two of three suspects at the airport are believed to have died during the attack, but a third suspect is thought still to be at-large. A blurred CCTV image of the man, wearing a dark hat and a white jacket, was being circulated in the Belgian media in a request for additional information from the public.

At the same time, multiple raids were taking place around the country, Van Leeuw said. A number of people were also being questioned. Several other explosions heard around the Belgian capital, he explained, were the product of bomb disposal squads “making safe” suspicious packages.

Leeuw said Belgian authorities were aware and investigating the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility. But, he added, “it is too soon to already make a link with the attacks that took place in Paris.”

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said his nation would remain resolute as it undertook a vast terror investigation: “We remain unified, mobilized and in solidarity with each other in our minds and in our hearts, and will act to protect our freedoms and our way of life.”

Federal officials will announce new security measures at U.S. airports in the aftermath of the Brussels attack, but most of the action will take place behind the scenes rather than in any manner apparent to passengers.

The officials are expected to renew appeals that passengers be vigilant and that they report any suspicious behavior to authorities. They will say that law enforcement at airports will be enhanced.

“It’s the behind-the-scenes stuff, the intelligence work, where the measures will be taken,” said a federal official who spoke to The Post on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) called on Transportation Security Administration head Peter Neffenger to expand the security perimeter at U.S. airports.

“As it stands now, airports remain a prime target for terrorism but only half of the airport is protected by TSA security,” said Hahn, a member of the House Transportation Committee. “In the wake of the attacks in Brussels, we must reconsider our current security and whether it can be strengthened to reduce soft targets and better protect the public.”

The TSA, however, mans airport checkpoints but is not a law-enforcement agency. When the TSA intercepts suspicious passengers, it turns to airport or local law enforcement if they feel an arrest is warranted.

The federal official Tuesday pointed to comments that former TSA administrator John S. Pistole made at a hearing on Capitol Hill several years ago: “If you build a 10-foot fence, somebody will build a 12-foot ladder.”

Neffenger, in testimony three weeks ago, pointed out that the TSA may face staffing shortages at checkpoints as travel peaks this summer.

The Islamic State is asking its supporters to tweet about the Brussels attack using certain hashtags.

The extremist group is known to channel social media in an attempt to spread its message, producing hundreds of videos and daily radio broadcasts per month. Read more about its propaganda tactics.

Brussels Airport said it will be closed today and Wednesday, at which point it will consider whether to reopen on Thursday.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this tweet incorrectly described the airport’s plans. It will consider opening again on Thursday.

The audio recording, originally in Arabic, obtained by SITE Intelligence Group:

By the grace of Allah and His gratitude alone, a security detachment from the soldiers of the Caliphate, may Allah dignify it and support it, launched to target Crusader Belgium, which did not stop targeting Islam and its people. So Allah conquered through the hands of our brothers and cast in the hearts of the Crusaders fear and terror in the very heart of their land.

A group of the soldiers of the Caliphate, wrapped in explosive belts and carrying explosive devices and machine guns, launched to target sites carefully chosen in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, to immerse inside Brussels airport and the metro station and kill a number of Crusaders, before detonating their explosive belts amidst their groupings. The result of the attacks was the killing of more than 40 and the wounding of no less than 210 of the citizens of the Crusader states, and unto Allah is all praise, gratitude, and grace.

We promise the Crusader states allied against the Islamic State with dark days, in response to their aggression against the Islamic State, and what is coming is worse and more bitter, Allah permitting. Praise be to Allah for His [granting of] security and success. We ask Allah to accept our brothers among the martyrs.

Bloomberg News reports that Britain’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office issued this guidance Tuesday.

“We are advising against all but essential travel to Brussels,” Prime Minister David Cameron’s spokeswoman, Helen Bower, told reporters in London, according to Bloomberg. “It’s reflecting the fact that the Belgian authorities are advising the Belgian public not to travel to Brussels at the moment. We think it’s helpful and right that we reflect that in the FCO advice.”

“The police are looking to identify this man,” authorities said in a statement. “He is suspected of having committed the attack at the Zaventem airport on Tuesday. … If you recognize this man or if you have information concerning the attack, contact the investigators. … Discretion assured.”

Starbucks announced on Tuesday that it will close all of its stores in Belgium after the attacks there:

“[I]nitial indications are that an explosion took place outside our store within the airport. While one partner (employee) sustained minor injuries, we can confirm that all our partners are safe and have been accounted for,” the coffee chain said in a statement. “This store and all other Starbucks stores in Belgium will remain closed until further notice.”

“We offer our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in this barbaric attack and to the people of Brussels who were the target of another cowardly attempt to terrorize innocent civilians,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a statement. “We stand with our European allies to offer any necessary assistance in these difficult times.”

Sanders, who is running for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, added that Tuesday’s attack “is a brutal reminder that the international community must come together to destroy ISIS. This type of barbarism cannot be allowed to continue.”

To outsiders, Belgium may seem like an unlikely terror target, but experts claim the nation of 11 million exports a disproportionate share of fighters to the jihadist struggle in Syria.

As The Washington Post’s Michael Birnbaum reported in January, more than 350 Belgians citizens have traveled to Syria to fight, which is the highest number per capita of any European country.

Belgian researcher Pieter van Ostaeyen’s “high-end estimate” is considerably greater, placing the number of fighters at 562, according to the Guardian.

The paper reported that more than 80 fighters had been killed in battled in eastern Syria, but it did not provide a timeline.

“Most join Islamic State, while some opt for the al-Qaida affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra,” the Guardian noted.

Montasser AlDe’emeh, a researcher who counsels former and current fighters, told the paper that fighters come in two waves. The first, he said, are “naive idealists” and the second are far more violent extremists, individuals who are often willing to carry out terror attacks in their home country.

AlDe’emeh noted that the second group often have long criminal histories.

A third bomb was deactivated at the Brussels airport, an official said, according to the Associated Press.

More than 30 people are dead following Tuesday’s terrorist explosions in Brussels. The Washington Post graphics department took a look at the blasts in the Belgian capital  and has compiled this graphic about what we know so far.

For more, click here.

A spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations criticized Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz after he suggested in a statement having law enforcement patrol Muslim neighborhoods “before they become radicalized.”

“It’s really beyond belief that you have one of the leading presidential candidates calling for law enforcement to target religious communities totally based on the fact that they are of a particular faith,” CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said by phone. “In normal times, this would be the sort of thing that would disqualify someone from running for dogcatcher, much less president of the United States. We call on voters to reject this. It just shows you what happens when you appoint policy advisers like Frank Gaffney and Jerry Boykin to your team.”

In a separate statement, the group expressed its solidarity with and offered condolences to the people of Belgium.

“Such heinous attacks are antithetical to the ideals of civilized society,” CAIR said.

Brussels Airport chief executive Arnaud Feist says that the airport will remain closed through Wednesday.

A man who was dropping his mother at Brussels’ Zaventem airport Tuesday said he heard the two explosions.

Asif Islam told BBC News that the first bomb sounded like an air conditioner broke or fell down.

“We saw people running,” he said, “so we also started running through the middle of the airport.”

Seconds later, a second explosion sounded from the place where they were fleeing to find shelter.

“We stopped, and there was an open place, so we were just standing there for like 5 minutes,” he said, adding: “You could see the ceiling falling down little by little. It was very dusty. … After a certain time, we couldn’t breathe anymore so we were like, we have to get out because otherwise we will just die because of the dust.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R) will lead a moment of silence at the Capitol at 2:45 p.m., according to his press secretary.

The moment of silence will occur during a series of House votes.

Ryan earlier offered condolences and prayers to Belgium.

Over at WorldViews, I write about an eerily prescient warning that came from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week. “There is no reason for the bomb which exploded in Ankara not to explode in Brussels,” he said, referring to a March 13 terror attack in the Turkish capital that killed at least 37 people.

But there are reasons to view Erdogan’s ominous rhetoric with a sideways glance, as I explain here.

A trio of Mormon missionaries from Utah were “seriously injured” in the Tuesday attack on the Brussels airport, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a statement.

“Our prayers are with the families of the deceased and injured, including three of our missionaries who were injured and hospitalized,” church leaders said in the statement. “We also pray for the people of Belgium and France as they continue to deal with the uncertainty and devastation caused by the recent terrorist attacks.”

The three wounded missionaries were accompanying a fourth from France who was on her way to a mission assignment in Ohio. She had passed through airport security, the church reported. The families of the three Americans have been notified of their injuries.

They were identified as:

Richard Norby, 66, of Lehi, Utah

(Courtesy photo)

Joseph Empey, 20, of Santa Clara, Utah

(Courtesy photo)

Mason Wells, 19, of Sandy, Utah

Elder Mason Wells (19) of Sandy, Utah. (Courtesy photo)

The missionary who cleared security was identified as:

Fanny Rachel Clain, 20, of Montélimar, France

(Courtesy photo)

Belgian Ambassador to the United States Johan Verbeke said Tuesday that authorities were acting on recently uncovered evidence as Tuesday’s attacks occurred.

“There have been a lot of house searches being conducted last week and something new was being found,” he said in an appearance on CNN.

“New names, new people connected to a terrorist network have emerged,” he said. He also added that authorities in Belgium found a “heavy weapon” — “a clear indication that something was in the offing.”

Officials were acting on those clues, he said. Unfortunately, “the attack occurred too early,” he added.

The Belgian Interior Ministry says 12 people died at the Brussels airport, with some 100 wounded.

At the Maelbeek metro station, there were 20 fatalities, with “about 130” people wounded.

Agnes Cser, a lawyer and economist, said she was in Brussels to attend a weekly morning meeting, and had arrived Tuesday morning from Budapest. She waited on the airport tarmac for about two hours, and was later at a crisis center for victims.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable to live in this kind of world,” said Cser, a member of the E.U.’s European Economic and Social Committee. “We are very proud of our European Union. We are proud of our very colorful European culture. It doesn’t do to accept this kind of attack on children, on innocents, and our way of life.”

“I stand with President Obama and the American people in condemning this morning’s horrific attacks in Brussels,” Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said in a statement. “This was an appalling assault on the people of Belgium, on the European Union and on every nation that stands for peace and the rule of law. The Department of Justice is in contact with our counterparts in Belgium and we have offered any and all assistance that we can bring to bear.

“In the days ahead, we will continue to work with law enforcement abroad in order to help ensure those responsible are brought to justice. And as we go forward, our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences will be with the victims and their loved ones.

“If the intent of this attack’s perpetrators was to sow conflict and discord — to stoke mistrust and spread fear — they have failed. Today and every day, the people of the United States are joined with our friends in Belgium and around the world in love, compassion and resolve. The words on Belgium’s coat of arms speak for us all: L’Union Fait La Force. Unity Makes Strength.”

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The Islamic State-linked news agency Amaq reported that fighters for the Islamic State opened fire inside the airport before several detonated “explosive belts.” A “martyrdom bomber” set off a similar belt in the Maalbeek metro station, according to that report.

E.U. flags fly at half-staff outside the European Council building in Brussels. (Jasper Juinen/Bloomberg)

“These attacks have hit Brussels today, Paris yesterday – it is Europe as a whole that has been targeted,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement. “The European Union and the European Institutions must stay united in face of terrorism.

“These events have affected us, but they have not made us afraid. We will continue our work, to face the terrorist threat together, and to bring European solutions to questions that concern us all.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDQfiQtIGMd/?taken-by=minicelo

People have turned a popular public square into an enormous blackboard expressing hope and prayers for a city in mourning.

The Place de la Bourse was filled Tuesday with messages calling for “peace,” “freedom” and urging others to “spread love, not hate.”

Arbai Mohamed, who lives in the the city, was in the square Tuesday and told Business Insider he had a message.

“We all together pray for victims and their family,” he said, “and we will fight against people who want to divide us.”

From The Post’s Dan Lamothe:

Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said Tuesday that the United States is working to account for all U.S. civilians and service members in Belgium after attacks there killed at least 31 people.

Carter, speaking at the outset of a House Armed Services Committee hearing, said that “in the face of these acts of terrorism, the United States stands in strong solidarity with our strong ally Belgium.” He added that the United States stands ready to provide assistance to allies in Europe as necessary.

“Brussels is an international city, and it has been host to NATO and the European Union for decades,” Carter said. “Together, we must and we will continue to do everything that we can to protect our homelands and defeat terrorists wherever they threaten us.”

Read more.

Secretary of State John Kerry described the attacks Tuesday as an “abhorrent” assault against “the very heart of Europe.”

“Our thoughts are with all those in Brussels, including the injured and the loved ones of those who were killed, and with the first responders and security personnel who are working tirelessly to keep Brussels safe,” he said in a statement. “The U.S. Embassy in Brussels is making every effort to account for the welfare of American citizens in the city.”

Kerry also pledged support to the Belgian government.

“As I made clear this morning in a conversation with Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, the United States stands firmly with our ally Belgium and with all of Europe in the face of this tragedy,” he said. “Attacks like these only deepen our shared resolve to defeat terrorism around the world.”

The nuclear power plant in Tihange, Belgium, on MArch 16. (Julien Warnand/EPA)

Authorities have evacuated two nuclear power plants in Belgium following the terrorist attacks, according to news reports.

Police cleared the Tihange and Deol power plants with the exception of all essential staff, Reuters reports, citing the French operator of the plants. The spokesman for the operator, Engie, said this was due to the heightened safety measures following the attacks in Brussels.

Tihange, in eastern Belgium, has three reactors while Doel, north of Brussels, has four.

Didier Marchal, who had arrived from Toronto on Jet Airways, described a chaotic scene at the airport, in which law enforcement and other responders seemed frantic in the aftermath of the attack.

“The people who panicked the most were the police and the military,” Marchal told The Washington Post. “They were running around like chickens with their heads cut off for 15 minutes. You’d think they’d have planned for something like this, and if not, have put a plan in place. It took hours before we had a disaster relief.”

Another man, Arnaud Salla, 37, complained about a lack of communication from officials, saying he’s still unsure about how he will continue with his travel.

“We meet you guys, we see you here and we have no information — they never made an announcement, no explanation for where to go or what to do. It’s 3 p.m., we don’t even know if we’ll be rebooked or where we can go.”

Marchal and Salla both spoke at a crisis center for victims, where Jolien Rottie stopped by Tuesday with two others. The trio, all 18 years old, brought bananas and Easter chocolates.

“I heard on the radio that there was a woman from Nepal who didn’t have money for a hotel or a cellphone to call anyone,” Rottie said. “I thought, I just have to bring them into my house. Or at least do something.”

Brussels Airport CEO Arnaud Feist expressed his condolences for the victims of Tuesday’s attack and thanks to emergency responders in a statement, while adding that “this is without doubt the blackest day in the history of Brussels Airport.”

All flights and other operations at the airport are canceled for the day and the airport has been “entirely evacuated” as police conduct their investigation, according to the statement.

“Brussels Airport has been hit in its heart, in the departures hall where at that moment many passengers were waiting to leave on holiday,” the statement read.

Damage to the departure hall was so severe that the airport said it was “impossible” to know when operations will resume.

“There is much damage and we do not have access to the building as the investigation is still underway,” the statement read.

Abdel Melloul told the Flemish daily newspaper De Standard that he was working in a shipyard near Maelbeek Metro Station when he heard a loud bang.

“It was awful,” he said. “I saw people who were completely burned. There was a lot of blood.  I think there are at least 20 wounded.”

Melloul told the paper he administered first aid to the victims and — as terrible as the scene was —the carnage could have been considerably worse.

“Luckily it was not that busy at the time of the explosion, but there should be almost certain deaths,” he said. “I cannot believe someone sat down and has survived.”

Footage from inside the metro station published by the Guardian shows passengers carefully exiting trains and walking through a smoke-filled tunnel to reach safety while a child wails in the background. On the chaotic streets above, the footage shows white smoke billowing from underground.

Officials in New York met Tuesday morning to discuss counterterrorism and subway initiatives ahead of addressing the city’s residents, according to a New York Police Department tweet.

The police department said in a statement that it is “closely monitoring” the aftermath of the attacks in Belgium. In the meantime, it has deployed several counterterrorism teams to crowded areas and transit locations around the city “out of an abundance of caution.”

“At this time, there is no known indication that the attack has any nexus to New York City,” the department said. “We will continue to follow the situation in Belgium closely with the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI and adjust the department’s deployments accordingly.”

A pair of New York City Police Transit officers at the subway station in Times Square. (Richard Drew/AP)

Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone Tuesday morning with Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders to express his condolences over the attacks and to assure him that Belgium has the support of the United States in the aftermath of the attacks. Kerry also praised the rapid response of emergency personnel and offered investigative support.

Both agreed that the attacks “underscored the need for a continued and concerted push by all nations to counter violent extremism,” according to a statement.

From the White House:

President Obama spoke today by phone with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel to offer his condolences on behalf of the American people following today’s horrific terrorist attacks in Brussels.  The President reaffirmed the steadfast support of the United States for Belgium, and offered any assistance necessary in investigating these attacks and bringing those responsible to justice.  The President reiterated that the United States stands together with the people of Belgium, as well as NATO and the European Union, and once again pledged the full cooperation and support of the United States in our shared commitment to defeat the scourge of terrorism.

People leave messages and flowers in the city center of Brussels on Tuesday. (Nicolas Maeterlinck/AFP/Getty Images)

Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon has announced three days of national mourning, according to VTM.

The White House tweeted the short video clip below of President Obama’s remarks on Tuesday’s attacks, which opened a longer speech on U.S.-Cuban relations. Obama delivered the statements at the Grand Theatre of Havana on the last day of his historic visit to Cuba.

Attackers in Brussels still managed to detonate three explosive devices despite the high security measures in Brussels following the Paris attacks, The Post’s Thomas Gibbons-Neff reported.

The attacks, in a city that is home to NATO and a host of European nongovernmental organizations, come after months of threats, alerts and high-profile police raids that have sought to disrupt Islamic State plots to strike across Europe.

“What we’ve feared has happened, we were hit by unforeseen attacks,” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said at a press conference.

Following the Paris attacks in November, in which Islamic State gunmen killed 130 people in a series of mass shootings and suicide attacks, Brussels raised its terror threat level to its highest possible alert and went on lockdown, as police and intelligence agencies traced at least one of the Paris attackers’ origins back to the Molenbeek neighborhood of Brussels. Roughly a week later, the Belgian government lowered the threat level from “serious and imminent” to “possible and likely” where it has remained until Tuesday’s attacks. It is now back to its highest level.

Read the full story.

Witness Evan Lamos told CNN that military guards seemed to be on high alert Tuesday when he got on the metro. Shortly after, he said, air shot through the metro tunnel, the train stopped and the lights went out.

A Twitter user by the same name, a multimedia director at EurActiv in Brussels, had been tweeting about it earlier in the day.

Lamos told CNN that there had been increased security in Brussels since the Paris attacks. But, he said, “at a certain point, you have to go back to normal life.”

He said he hopes people in Brussels “keep that same mentality” and work to resume their lives.

“I hope everyone has a measured reaction to this,” he said, “and doesn’t give in to terror and fear.”

Sander Verniers, who was riding the metro Tuesday morning, told CNN he was in the train car right behind the one that carried the bomb.

He said he saw the smoke and heard and felt the blast “but we didn’t see the explosion.”

“We all kind of felt a strong wind coming through the carriage to the subway,” he said. “And then we heard some noise that shouldn’t be there. We saw some people that opened the back door, people from subway systems.”

He said there was an organized effort to get the passengers out.

A trio of Mormon missionaries from Utah were “seriously injured” in the Tuesday attack on the Brussels airport, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a statement.

“Our prayers are with the families of the deceased and injured, including three of our missionaries who were injured and hospitalized,” church leaders said in the statement. “We also pray for the people of Belgium and France as they continue to deal with the uncertainty and devastation caused by the recent terrorist attacks.”

The three wounded missionaries were accompanying a fourth from France who was on her way to a mission assignment in Ohio. She had passed through airport security, the church reported. The families of the three Americans have been notified of their injuries.

They were identified as: Richard Norby, 66, of Lehi, Utah; Joseph Empey, 20, of Santa Clara, Utah; and Mason Wells, 19, of Sandy, Utah. The missionary who cleared security was identified as Fanny Rachel Clain, 20, of Montélimar, France.

Donald Trump told Savannah Guthrie and Matt Lauer of NBC’s “Today” show that if he were president, he would call for authorities to “do whatever they have to do” to get information from terrorist suspects already in custody.

“Frankly, the waterboarding, if it was up to me, and if we changed the laws or had the laws, waterboarding would be fine,” Trump said when asked which techniques exactly he would call for to extract vital information from suspects. “If they could expand the laws, I would do a lot more than waterboarding. You have to get the information from these people.”

Trump also commented on Salah Abdeslam, the recently captured 26-year-old suspected of involvement in the Paris terror attacks who is now in Belgian custody.  Asked whether he “was in the camp” of people who believe torture works “in a case like this,” Trump was unequivocal.

“I am in the camp where you have to get the information and you have to get it rapidly,” he said.

Marc Noel told the Associated Press that while he was waiting for an Atlanta-bound flight, he went to grab some magazines. The first blast occurred while he was in a shop at the airport, he said — an explosion that happened not far from where he was at the time.

“People were crying, shouting, children. It was a horrible experience,” Noel, a Belgian who lives in North Carolina, told AP. “I don’t want to think about it, but I would probably have been in that place when the bomb went off.”

AP also reported:

“This feel likes war — fire engines, police everywhere,” said Noel, as he and hundreds of other passengers toting their hand luggage were evacuated to the town of Zavantem.

“I was as close as I could be to the other side,” he told the AP. “It hasn’t happened yet. I guess it’s not my hour.”

President Obama addressed the attacks at the beginning of a speech at the Grand Theatre of Havana on the last day of his historic visit to Cuba.

“The thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the people of Belgium,” he said, condemning the attacks. “We will do whatever is necessary to support our friend and ally Belgium to bring those who are responsible to justice.”

Mayor Yvan Mayeur at a news conference at Brussels City Hall. (James Arthur Gekiere/AFP/Getty Images)

Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur called the attacks “unprecedented murderous violence,” according to VRT’s Engligh-language site, Flanders News.

The mayor added that the bombings were an “attack on our humanist values” motivated by “the hatred of others.”

French President Francois Hollande says France stands in solidarity with Belgium following attacks at a Brussels airport and a train station. Hollande made the remarks from Paris, saying: “Terrorism struck Belgium, but it was Europe that was targeted, and everyone is concerned. We must be aware of the scope and seriousness of the terrorist threat.”

The secretary general of NATO boosted the military command’s alert status Tuesday, The Post’s Dan Lamothe reported.

Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement that he made the decision as NATO, which has been based in Belgium for decades, monitors what is unfolding in the city.

“We all stand together with our Ally Belgium on this dark day,” Rasmussen’s statement said. “This is a cowardly attack. An attack on our values and on our open societies. Terrorism will not defeat democracy and take away our freedoms. ”

Read the full story.

Correction: This post previously misidentified the NATO Secretary General. He is Jens Stoltenberg.

Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton issued the following statement on the attacks Tuesday:

“Terrorists have once again struck at the heart of Europe, but their campaign of hate and fear will not succeed,” she said. “The people of Brussels, of Europe, and of the world will not be intimidated by these vicious killers. Today Americans stand in solidarity with our European allies. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and wounded, and all the people of Belgium. These terrorists seek to undermine the democratic values that are the foundation of our alliance and our way of life, but they will never succeed. Today’s attacks will only strengthen our resolve to stand together as allies and defeat terrorism and radical jihadism around the world.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks are part of a worldwide campaign conducted by radical Islamists.

“This is one continued assault on all of us,” he said, appearing from Jerusalem by video at the conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. “These terrorists have no resolvable grievances. It’s not as if we could offer them Brussels, or Istanbul, or California or even all of the West Bank.”

He added: “Their basic demand is that we should simply disappear. Well, my friends, that’s not going to happen. The only way to defeat these terrorists is to join together and fight them together.”

— Carol Morello

Dutch police clear the Hoofddorp train station in connection with a possible terror threat in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, on March  22.  (Alexander Schippers/EPA)

Police in the Netherlands have found nothing suspicious on a train headed from Brussels to Amsterdam. The train was one stop away from arriving at Schiphol Airport, the main international airport of the Netherlands, according to the AP.

The Hoofddorp train station was evacuated and passengers were then transported by bus. Earlier, police detained two delivery men, but released them after clearing them of wrongdoing.

Eurostar has also suspended all train service to and from Brussels.

UPDATE: Trains to and from Brussels remain suspended. A limited service to and from Lille will run – details to follow.

— Eurostar (@Eurostar) March 22, 2016

The mayor of Brussels increased the death toll resulting from Tuesday’s subway attack, according to the Associated Press. That brings the total death toll to 31.

Former NATO commander and one-time Democratic presidential contender Gen. Wes Clark offered his assessment of the attacks on Bloomberg TV on Tuesday morning.

“This is probably, on the part of the terrorists, a use it or lose it attack. They probably had a number of different options in planning. I think they got the sense that the Belgian police were closing in.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean the assailants used up “the entire inventory of attacks that could have been pulled,” he added. There is clearly a terrorist “support network” in place, he noted. “All that has to be rolled up.”

Brian Carroll told the New York Times that he heard a “loud explosion” while he was riding the subway in Brussels, and soon understood that there had been an attack.

“The train was coming into Maelbeek station,” Carroll told the Times. “As we were pulling into the station, there was suddenly a loud explosion. There was smoke everywhere. Everyone dropped to the ground. People were screaming and crying. I was on the ground.”

“We realized immediately we were being attacked by terrorists,” he continued.

Carroll told the Times that he eventually made it out of the station, running through the debris left at the blast site.

“I thought to myself, ‘I’ve got to get out of here,’ ” he said. “I headed toward an exit. There was smoke and soot everywhere. There was glass everywhere. It was like running through a cloud of dust. I saw the exit of the station was destroyed. I ran out of the station, I ran as far as I could.”

Carroll told the newspaper that he was a “bit shaken up” afterward, and described the attack as “horrific.”

The U.S. Embassy in Brussels urged all U.S. citizens in the city to shelter in place and avoid all public transportation, said State Department spokesman John Kirby. The embassy is working to determine whether any Americans were wounded in the blast.

“The United States stands with (the) people of Belgium,” Kirby said in a statement. “We are ready to support the investigation as appropriate.”

— Carol Morello

Amid the crisis, some basic Belgian utilities appeared to be under stress.

Belgium’s official crisis center called on Brussels residents to avoid streaming video and music to avoid taxing the Internet.

It also asked people to communicate by text message or social network rather than voice calls so as not to overload phone lines.

And Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo repeatedly pleaded for Belgians to refrain from using mobile networks.

Some attackers may still be on the loose, Belgium’s foreign minister said, according to the AFP news agency.

“There could have just as well have been attacks in Britain, or France or Germany or elsewhere in Europe,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said after chairing an emergency government meeting.

“Although they attack our way of life, and they attack us because of who we are, we will never let them win,” he said.

The attacks triggered stepped-up security across Europe.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said police were increasing their presence at transport hubs and major airports around the city, which he stressed was “purely for reassurance purposes — it doesn’t reflect any intelligence we have.”

Vincent Kompany, captain of the Belgian national football team, called on his country to “act with dignity” as it responds to the attacks.

Officials at the Université libre de Bruxelles said it is “obliged to evacuate” its school campuses.

ULB, a French-speaking private university in Brussels, is urging everyone on campus to leave.

“In the light of the latest information we have received, we are obliged to evacuate the ULB campuses,” school officials said in a statement, written in both English and French. “We advise the whole university community to leave the campuses in a calm and orderly manner and to show solidarity by offering lifts in their cars, in such a way that everyone can return home safely.”

The university had announced earlier that it had implemented “level 4” security measures.

“We take this opportunity to remind you that university membership badges must be worn in a visible position at all times in order to facilitate the safeguarding of campuses,” school officials said in a statement. “Further measures will be announced during the course of the day on the basis of information received from the authorities and decisions taken by the security councils.”

Social video shows people scrambling to safety after explosions went off at Brussels main airport. People are also seen evacuating a metro station after a separate attack on the city’s subway system.

“Our hearts break for the men and women of Brussels this morning,” Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said in a statement. “Make no mistake — these terror attacks are no isolated incidents. They are just the latest in a string of coordinated attacks by radical Islamic terrorists perpetrated by those who are waging war against all who do not accept their extreme strain of Islam.”

Cruz, one of three remaining Republican candidates for president, continued: “Radical Islam is at war with us. For over seven years we have had a president who refuses to acknowledge this reality. And the truth is, we can never hope to defeat this evil so long as we refuse to even name it.

“That ends on January 20, 2017, when I am sworn in as president. We will name our enemy — radical Islamic terrorism. And we will defeat it.”

Belgians and others around Europe have taken to Twitter with the hashtag #ikwilhelpen (I want to help) to offer to assistance — food, rides, rooms to stay in — to those in and around Brussels and to Belgians stranded in other places.

More specifically, some are using #openhouse and #porteouverte to let people know they have room to shelter others and #brusselslift to show they can offer transportation.

The Brussels airport canceled  hundreds of flights — more than 200, according to the Associated Press.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu condemned the bombings and expressed solidarity with Belgium, according to the Hurriyet Daily News.

“I curse the attack in Brussels, which has once again shown the global face of terror,” Davutoglu said in a parliamentary address. “I offer my condolences to the government and the people of Belgium and I want to express solidarity on behalf of our people.”

He added: “I invite all of humanity to stand united against global terror and any sort of terrorism.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, took to Twitter to condemn the Brussels attack and expressed his solidarity with Belgium and the E.U. Tweeting in German and English, Altmaier said, “Terrorists will never win.”

He added: “Our European values much stronger than hate, violence, terror!”

All solidarity now with EU, Belgium, #Brussels! Terrorists will never win: Our European values much stronger than hate, violence, terror!

— Peter Altmaier (@peteraltmaier) March 22, 2016

Unfassbar. Die Terroristen dürfen nie gewinnen! Die Werte Europas sind stärker als Hass und Gewalt! Alle Solidarität für Brüssel und die EU.

— Peter Altmaier (@peteraltmaier) March 22, 2016

In a television interview, Zach Mouzoun described a bloody and chaotic scene at the Brussels airport, with broken pipes and damaged ceilings.

“It was atrocious. The ceilings collapsed,” he said. “There was blood everywhere, injured people, bags everywhere.”

Mouzoun spoke to France’s BFM television, and his account was relayed via the Associated Press. He had arrived at the airport about 10 minutes before the first explosion, AP reported.

“We were walking in the debris. It was a war scene,” Mouzoun said, according to AP.

Republican front-runner Donald Trump called the Brussels attacks “absolutely horrible” during an interview on Fox News.

“Brussels was a beautiful city, a beautiful place, with zero crime,” he said. “And now it’s a disaster.”

Brussels, Trump said, used to be a “magical city,” but could now be described as “an armed camp.”

Trump, who has called for “total and complete” ban on Muslims entering the United States, reiterated his position on immigration during the telephone interview with Fox, saying: “We as a country have to learn what’s going on.”

“We’re not babies. We can’t do this anymore,” he said. “We can’t have these attacks anymore. We can’t have World Trade Centers anymore, and planes flying into the Pentagon. It’s time to be smart, it’s time to look carefully. And we have to be — look, people will come in, but we have to be very, very careful as to who comes into our country, or we’re going to have problems like you’ve never seen. We probably already will have, but we’re going to have problems like you’ve never seen before.”

Facebook has activated its Safety Check feature to allow people in and around Brussels to tell friends and family that they are safe.

“Reports indicate multiple explosions at the Zaventem Airport in Brussels, as well as at least one metro station in the city,” according to the feature’s description. “The airport has been shutdown and all flights diverted.

“The metro, tram, and bus systems have also been shut down citywide.”

Safety Check serves as a special status update in a time of crisis. Facebook unveiled the tool in 2014, inspired by users’ reaction to the 2011 tsunami that rocked Japan.

Still, many Facebook users were frustrated by how long it took the social media site to activate the feature.

A refugee boy near Idomeni, on the Greek-Macedonian border, held up a poster saying “Sorry for Brussels” while migrants protest border closures, according to Reuters.

A #refugee boy holds up placard reading “Sorry for Brussels” near #Idomeni REUTERS/@Grulovic #brusselsattack pic.twitter.com/V21BcdedFY

— Reuters Paris Pix (@ReutersParisPix) March 22, 2016

“I want to express my solidarity with the people of Belgium in the aftermath of the attacks that took place in Brussels,” Ohio Gov. John Kasich said in a statement. “Along with every American, I am sickened by the pictures of the carnage, by the injuries and by the loss of life.”

Kasich, one of three remaining Republicans in the U.S. presidential primary, continued: “The wave of terror that has been unleashed in Europe and elsewhere around the world are attacks against our very way of life and against the democratic values upon which our political systems have been built. We and our allies must rededicate ourselves to these values of freedom and human rights. We must utterly reject the use of deadly acts of terror.

“We must also redouble our efforts with our allies to identify, root out and destroy the perpetrators of such acts of evil. We must strengthen our alliances as our way of life and the international system that has been built on our common values since the end of the Second World War comes under challenge from these and other actors of evil.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the attacks and with the people of Belgium.”

According to a White House official, President Obama “was apprised this morning of the explosions in Brussels, Belgium. U.S. officials have been and will continue to be in close contact with their Belgian counterparts, and we will provide additional information and updates as we are able to do so.”

In the aftermath of the attacks, French President Francois Hollande moved quickly to push for closer cooperation among European intelligence agencies.

France has been one of the most aggressive E.U. nations in attempts to break down barriers between security services, many of which jealously guard their information.

The lack of information sharing has come under criticism in recent years as the flow of fighters from Europe to Syria has increased.

“The terrorists have struck Belgium, but it is Europe that has been targeted,” Hollande said. “The war against the terrorists should be carried out throughout the whole of Europe using all necessary means, including intelligence information.”

The New York Police Department is monitoring the situation in Brussels and said it is increasing security around the city.

Police did not release information about where the officers would be stationed or how many of them would be on patrol.

Michel’s remarks were echoed by British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.

#Bruxelles L’hommage de Plantu https://t.co/sBBY9mGViEpic.twitter.com/WNoXNAwCUT

— Le Monde (@lemondefr) March 22, 2016

This drawing from well-known French cartoonist Plantu was featured in the French newspaper Le Monde. The attacks in Paris, which left 130 dead, occurred about four months ago.

French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday that “the whole of Europe has been hit.”

“We are at war,” he said. “We have been subjected for the last few months in Europe to acts of war.”

The explosions came just days after the capture of Salah Abdeslam, the top suspect in last year’s deadly attacks in Paris. Abdeslam, 26, was arrested in Brussels, in the Molenbeek neighborhood.

France remains in a state of emergency after the Nov. 13 terror attacks, which left 130 people dead.

The AP reported that Hollande is holding an emergency meeting with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.

One attack took place at the airport, the other at the metro station. they were less than two hours apart.

The U.S. Embassy in Brussels has advised Americans in the city to shelter in place and avoid “all public transportation.”

The embassy’s recommendation came shortly before Belgium Prime Minister Charles Michel took the unusual step of asking his entire nation to remain in place and avoid all movements.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Belgium has “again been hit by cowardly and murderous attacks. Our hearts go out to the victims and next of kin. The Netherlands stands ready to help and support our southern neighbors in any possible way.”

According to the Associated Press, the Dutch anti-terror authority said the country’s threat level was unchanged at “substantial.”

Belgian prosecutor general Frederic van Leeuw said that one of the explosions at the airport “was probably carried out by a kamikaze, a suicide bomber.” He said that security officials were still sweeping baggage at the airport to make sure there were no further explosives.

“What we had feared has happened,” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said. “This is a black moment for our country.”

Via the Associated Press:

European security officials have been braced for a major attack for weeks, and warned that Islamic State was actively preparing. The arrest of Salah Abdeslam in Brussels last week heightened those fears, as investigators said many people involved in the Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people were still on the loose. After Abdeslam was arrested, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said authorities learned he had created a new network around him and had access to several weapons, though there was no immediate indication that he or the Islamic State group had any involvement in Tuesday’s attacks.

At least 15 people were killed in the attack on the Brussels subway and 55 were injured, Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported, citing the Brussels public transportation agency.

“We are talking about scores of dead,” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said.

One leading Belgian politician said Tuesday’s explosions — at least one of which authorities are treating as a suicide attack — opened a new chapter in the country’s history.

“We are experiencing the darkest day in the history of our country since the Second World War,” said Antwerp Mayor Bart de Wever, the VTM broadcaster reported.

de Wever is the leader of Belgium’s largest political party, the Flemish nationalist Vlaams Belang.