Brussels, Belgium remained in a state of lockdown today in the aftermath of the Paris attacks from November 13, as authorities hunted Paris fugitive Salah Abdeslam and others thought to be associated wth the attacks.
Earlier today, Brussels [link url=”http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/23/world/europe/brussels-remains-on-highest-alert-level-as-manhunts-expand.html” title=”maintained the highest possible alert level”], essentially shutting down the city as the manhunt for people linked to the Paris terrorist attacks intensified.
Police scour Brussels district in ongoing terror manhunt https://t.co/xBA3pPgq8j pic.twitter.com/iDDCQA3fzC
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) November 22, 2015
Raids lead to arrests
Later in the day Sunday, [link url=”http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/11/21/brussels-streets-quiet-and-deserted-as-threat-level-raised-to-four.html” title=”Belgian Police arrested 16″] in raids throughout the country. The raids – 22 in total – [link url=”http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/22/456989056/for-a-second-day-brussels-remains-on-high-alert” title=”occurred in Brussels and also south of the city”]. Authorities are stating the purpose of the raids is to apprehend terrorists that may be planning a Paris-style attack in Brussels.
Authorities carry out raids in Belgium leading to the arrests of 16 people. https://t.co/6R290H6cPm. pic.twitter.com/OGj4Us0SEx
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) November 23, 2015
Main person of interest still at large
Despite the arrests in the recent raids, 26-year-old French national Salah Abdeslam – the main suspect in the Brussels manhunt – is still at large. Today Salah’s brother, Mohamed Abdeslam, urged Salah to [link url=”http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/paris-terror-attacks/brother-paris-suspect-salah-abdeslam-urges-him-turn-himself-n467786″ title=”turn himself in and face jail rather than a grave”]. Mohammed came forward to speak to the media and [link url=”http://www.politico.eu/article/abdeslams-salah-paris-news-manipulated/” title=”said that he believes his brother to have been manipulated”].
Brussels stays on maximum alert
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said today that [link url=”http://abcnews.go.com/International/belgian-police-arrest-16-terror-raids-high-threat/story?id=35353434″ title=”the maximum terror threat level would remain in effect overnight for Brussels”]. That maximum level is a level 4 — the rest of the country would stay one step lower at a threat level of 3. Brussels’ subway system and schools within the city remain closed at this time.
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