Brussels closes public spaces, mass transit under high alert for terrorist attack

Government officials put Brussels on the maximum level of alert for a terrorist attack Saturday, saying there was a "serious and imminent" threat, The Washington Post reports. Public transportation, sporting events, concerts, and shopping centers were all closed down as soldiers stood guard in the streets Saturday.

Prime Minister Charles Michel said the decision was "based on quite precise information about the risk of an attack like the one that happened in Paris," The Guardian reports.

On Nov. 13, the Islamic State carried out a series of terrorist attacks in France, killing at least 130 people. Afterward, authorities arrested nine people in Brussels in connection with the attacks, two of whom are still in detention. Investigators are still searching for suspected attacker Salah Abdeslam, who has lived in Brussels.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up