Spare a Thought for the Belgians Today

[gb2000ie]

I have lived in Ireland for a long time now (over 30 years), but I am a Belgian, and the vast majority of my family live there. My passport doesn't have a harp on it and say "Éire", it has a crown and says "Koninkrijk België".

If you haven't heard yet, Brussels was hit by terrorists today, presumably IS, and presumably in retaliation for the Belgian government arresting the mastermind of the Paris attacks a few days ago. There were two explosions in the international airport in Zaventem (pronounced Zaa-v'n-tem), and one on a Brussels Metro train very close to the EU HQ. There is talk of 30 to 40 dead, and hundreds injured, many greviously. The talk is of a suitcase bomb and a suicide bomb in the airport, and a lot of people loosing legs.

Please keep the little nation of Belgium in your thoughts today.

To me, this re-inforces my belief in the importance of fighting Islamic extremism by working WITH the Islamic community, the vast majority of whom are not terrorists!

B.

 

[gorgik9]

Yes I heard about the awful news on Swedish TV a few hours ago...

Just awful...

 

[haiducii]

Horrific, absolutely horrific.

 

[cacc]

I'd heard there was some kind of attack in Belgium but this is the first detailed description I've seen. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this, not that that will bring them back their loved ones or lost limbs though. Whether we work with the Islamic community or not, we need to put a stop to this.

 

[Shelter]

I've heard it this morning. So horrible!!! I think these inhuman beasts have lost the right to be called "human-beings". They must be chased until the end of the world - and if they will be caught - they should be treated like savage beasts!!!

In deep mourning because of the many death people of Brussels. No word can give the immediate families relief.

(And just I've heard that the Belgian Police has found at the Airport a third bomb. This murder weapon could be defused by the security forces!)

So once more to the international police: hunting these criminals until they are death.

 

[brmstn69]

Just a reminder to Americans that believe this is more of a European problem, many Americans were injured in these attacks. Including a 19 year old Mormon boy who previously survived the Boston Marathon bombings...

 

[gb2000ie]

Just a reminder to Americans that believe this is more of a European problem, many Americans were injured in these attacks. Including a 19 year old Mormon boy who previously survived the Boston Marathon bombings...

By choosing an airport departure lounge, the terrorists intentionally chose a place where they would hurt people from all over the world. Yes, it was in Belgium, but it was not just Belgians who were the targets of this attack.

The same is also true of the subway train - the train that was bombed was on the line that serves the EU buildings in Brussels - people from many countries use that train every day.

That was an attack on all of the west in a way that the Paris attacks were not.

It also needs to be underlined that we are dealing with the most difficult type of terrorists to fight - home-grown ones. No amount of border closing can protect you from this!

I think that reality is probably why it makes my blood boil to hear Trump and Cruiz exploit the suffering in my home country for their own un-related and pointless racists ends. The fact that Belgians attacked Belgium is no reason to ban anyone from flying to America!

If America is unfortunate engouh to suffer an attack like this, it will almost certainly be carried out by Americans. That's one of the things that makes ISIS so dangerous - they have followers with the local nationalities all over the world.

B.

 

[Shelter]

I hate it to hear all the thousand words from our politicians how sad they are, and all their good wishes to the families which have lost a beloved one. And that they will fight against this terrorists with all their powers. All these dumb speeches we have heard after every terror attack! We have seen so very often that's nothing more than empty rhetoric. Nothing will happen - but you will hear the same speeches after the next assault. Than again we will be all "Charlie Hebdo's" or all "French" or now all "Belgians".
The Brandenburg Gate for instance is illuminated in the colours of the American, the French or now the Belgium flag. Very nice - but do you think these terrorists will now be shocked about that and leave their way of terror?

These terrorists, who are killing in the name of Allah, don't bother about any democratic rights and conventions. So why we do it if we catch one of them????

Hunt them, catch them - then what? Annihilate this cancerous ulcer and all its metastases wherever you will catch them

 

[ikeabarry]

I'm Belgian and I'm proud

... and not afraid.

I heard of the first attack at the airport minutes after it happened. New media and press are very fast.
We only heard some news about "explosions". Little did we know what kind of warzone our beloved Brussels would become.

It was a day full of disbelieve, fear, not knowing about some friends or lovers where they were.

In the end I was lucky, only 2 colleagues of mine were injured (I work in a company of 8.000 all over the country); and none of my friends or family.

Others were not so Lucky ~X(

I have to thank all the people who helped, not only medical staff or police or fire dept but also ordinary people. And Facebook also gave us a great option "mark your friends who are safe". A great tool.

I still feel scared, or angry but most of all sorry for all this misery. Why ? Why ?

Trump and his 'gang' know nothing about democracy or human rights so he would better shut up (about this theme - terror in Belgium that is, don't know about other things).

ISIS will not bring us down, we will stay strong and never give up our way of life.
If I want to travel, or walk on the street with my boyfriend it's my choise.
If I want to be naked on a beach or even go to a gay guesthouse or sauna, well that's my choise.
And we are happy to be able to do that in Belgium (and some other parts of Europe and the world). No other religion or fanatic will stop me doing that !

I'm not happy, but I'm in love.

Love will conquer all.

Love you guys :big hug:

 

[gorgik9]

... and not afraid.

I heard of the first attack at the airport minutes after it happened. New media and press are very fast.
We only heard some news about "explosions". Little did we know what kind of warzone our beloved Brussels would become.

It was a day full of disbelieve, fear, not knowing about some friends or lovers where they were.

In the end I was lucky, only 2 colleagues of mine were injured (I work in a company of 8.000 all over the country); and none of my friends or family.

Others were not so Lucky ~X(

I have to thank all the people who helped, not only medical staff or police or fire dept but also ordinary people. And Facebook also gave us a great option "mark your friends who are safe". A great tool.

I still feel scared, or angry but most of all sorry for all this misery. Why ? Why ?

Trump and his 'gang' know nothing about democracy or human rights so he would better shut up (about this theme - terror in Belgium that is, don't know about other things).

ISIS will not bring us down, we will stay strong and never give up our way of life.
If I want to travel, or walk on the street with my boyfriend it's my choise.
If I want to be naked on a beach or even go to a gay guesthouse or sauna, well that's my choise.
And we are happy to be able to do that in Belgium (and some other parts of Europe and the world). No other religion or fanatic will stop me doing that !

I'm not happy, but I'm in love.

Love will conquer all.

Love you guys :big hug:

Thanks Barry! Mille grazie! Thanks for this beautifully written post, giving hope in hopeless times :big hug:

 

[gb2000ie]

I hate it to hear all the thousand words from our politicians how sad they are, and all their good wishes to the families which have lost a beloved one. And that they will fight against this terrorists with all their powers. All these dumb speeches we have heard after every terror attack! We have seen so very often that's nothing more than empty rhetoric. Nothing will happen - but you will hear the same speeches after the next assault. Than again we will be all "Charlie Hebdo's" or all "French" or now all "Belgians".
The Brandenburg Gate for instance is illuminated in the colours of the American, the French or now the Belgium flag. Very nice - but do you think these terrorists will now be shocked about that and leave their way of terror?

These terrorists, who are killing in the name of Allah, don't bother about any democratic rights and conventions. So why we do it if we catch one of them????

Hunt them, catch them - then what? Annihilate this cancerous ulcer and all its metastases wherever you will catch them

Lighting up the Brandenburg gate should not be the ONLY thing that happens, but really, it helps. It shows solidarity, and that's imporant for all us Belgians ATM.

Right now there are three things that need to be addressed, and all at the same time:
1) support for those affected - seeing buildings all over the world lit black, yellow, and red is heart-warming - it is appreciated - don't mock it please
2) investigate the crime so you can round up the support network, and of course the attackers who fled (the ones who blew themselves up don't need much tracking down)
3) strengthen our defences - this does not have to be radical stuff, or even difficult stuff. I heard anti-terror expert Ali Soufan interviewed, and he suggested that the single most important thing Europe can do is to change the laws that are hampering the sharing of data between poilice forces in different EU countries. He says that data protection laws are stopping the sharing of inteligence data. That is obvioulsy a bug in how the laws were written, not an intended effect, so we should fix that ASAP.

The important thing is not to let the terrorists win by destroying our free society in the name of protecting it.

I predict this crime will be abused to further attack encryption, and in so doing, weaken the security of everyone on this planet. True encryption protects infinitely more law abiding citizens than it does bad guys, and, the bad guys have ZERO qualms about breaking the law! The maths for encryption exists, it cannot be poofed out of existence - either only bad guys get security, or we all get it - those are the only two options. Anyone who tells you there needs to be a third option and that smart people should make it so are asking the tech industry to put a man on the Sun - it can't be done, even if you can put a man on the Moon!

Let's hope the changes that come from this tragedy are changes for the better.

B.

 

[Shelter]

The following is a letter to the editor of my today's morning paper from a fellow Berliner - but this letter is that what I feel as well for 100%. So I will give it here in a translation:

" I'll be out of patience with this ramblings from the "boundless Europe". Again implemented border controls are impeding the unchecked travelling around of the terrorists across Europe, as you can see at the unbridled desire of travelling of the assassins of Paris and Brussels. In like manner the registration chaos with all the refugees here must be ended at once. I would like to know which one is entering in our country. Every not hurted or even killed citizen of Europe will be worth this sanction. And for that reason I'll presenting very gladly my ID"

So far this letter to the editors. What this person has written I can only sign 100% with my own feelings.

 

[Ioanna]

Hey, i'm Belgian also and want to thank everyone who expressed here his sympathy and disgust with what happened in our capital.
I follow the news for years every day but now they completely filled with reports about
what happened, every day actions undertaken in the effected suburbs of Brussels, where many arrests comes to light about planned attacks... yet even in Paris.
Very poignant today the shooting of a man under the eyes of his son, all filmed with an i-pad....perhaps he had explosives in his backpack.
It is not pleasant these days live in the districts around Brussels, how long you can endure this every day wailing sirens and special forces for actions in the streets.
But it must like that, I hope the rest quickly comes back and it feels good to be able to experience the international sympathy at a tiny country like ours.


How beautiful was the scene with the Cuban woman interviewed by a Flemish reporter associated with the occurrence of the Rolling Stones, she asked the reporter: "where are you from?"
"From Belgium" when the woman hugged him and shared her sympathy for what had happened.
I took a picture attached in the affected departure hall of the airport, you will see a bronze statue I have this photo uploaded because i stood there a few times when for a departure on a trip, where you'll get even chills.



Here I would like the cities of London, Madrid, Paris, New York, Washington, Oslo, Istanbul mention who in turn were affected by acts of violence and terror, let us not forget this.
I also have a YouTube clip added made just after the attack, I am not seeking thrills but I want to make clear how close violence has approached us, personally for me a place where i've been several times and only an hour from my hometown .... not thousands of kilometers away in a foreign country ... I hope it stops here but I fear it.



I wish you all a peaceful and pleasant Easter from Brussels Belgium.