Joe Duggan (Reporter)
THE government has kept Spain on a Level 4 alert following today’s Brussels terrorist attacks.
At least 13 people are reported to have been killed in bomb blasts that ripped through Zaventem airport and Maelbeek metro station close to the city’s EU building.
Many more are said to be injured, with unconfirmed reports of gunfire at Zaventem airport.
Belgium’s federal prosecutor has confirmed a suicide bomber was responsible for the Zaventem blast.
José Manuel García-Margallo, Spain’s Minister Of Foreign Affairs, has blamed the attacks on ISIS.
It is not yet known if any Spaniards were caught up in the exposions.
Spain has been on a Level 4 (high risk) warning since last year’s Paris attacks on the Charlie Hebdo office.
It is horrible to realize that these attacks on easier targets such as regional transportation and tourism enclaves will increase. Will the EU security forces increase cooperation and security? Will residents, citizens and tourists, regardless of ethnicity understand that the importance of nationalist ideologies and religious cults are far, far less important than a sense of humanity, civility and safety? Will Spanish and other European and UK reactionary political parties use the developing crises to become more stridently oppressive? Will needed public safety processes trigger reactionary responses from self-indulgent political splinter groups across the spectrum, from pseudo liberal to La Pen’s National Front? How much more dangerous can USA right wing political rhetoric get? This is likely to get worse.