Global response: British PM says European countries need to stand together, while France ups border security force

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

France deploys 1,600 extra police

France is to deploy an extra 1,600 police officers at its borders following the Brussels attack, the country’s interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, has announced. “It is essential to maintain a vigilance,” he said in a televised address.

Security forces in France remain at a high state of alert after last year’s terror attacks there.

The apparently coordinated explosions in the Belgian capital on Tuesday came four days after the arrest after a Brussels shootout of the only known surviving suspect of the 10 Islamist attackers who killed 130 people in a string of suicide bombings and shootings in Paris in November.

All trains to Brussels stations from Paris have been cancelled. Similar measures were expected in other European countries.

UK response

In London, the prime minister, David Cameron, has said the countries of Europe need to “stand together” against terror following the attacks in Brussels, while UK police have stepped up patrols at key sites.

Cameron, who chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee early on Tuesday, said: “We face a very real terrorist threat right across the different countries of Europe and we have to meet that with everything we have.”

He said a united front was needed “against these appalling terrorists and to make sure they can never win”.

One British national is known to have been injured in the bomb attack on the airport in Brussels, Downing Street said.

Earlier, British police reacted to the attacks on Brussels by boosting patrols at sites feared to be most vulnerable to terrorist attack.



Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, the national lead for counter-terrorism policing, said: “As a precaution, forces across the UK have increased policing presence at key locations, including transport hubs, to protect the public and provide reassurance.”

Security has been increased at airports and key locations including Dover, Calais, London St Pancras International and at the east coast ports. It has also been increased at key London transport interchanges and on the tube network.

Flags are being flown at half-mast on government buildings in solidarity with Belgium, and the Belgian flag is being raised over Downing Street.



Events in Brussels have not changed the UK threat level from Islamist terrorism, which remains at severe, meaning an attack is assessed to be highly likely.





British counter-terrorism officials will be scouring intelligence for any connections to Brussels-based jihadis and awaiting fresh information from their Belgian counterparts.

The London mayor, Boris Johnson, told Sky News: “We are stepping up a presence at transport hubs and major airports, but that is purely for the purpose of reassurance and does not reflect any intelligence we have about a threat to London.”

Greater Manchester police said they have also increased patrols.

US



No indication of threat to US after Brussels attacks, officials say Read more

US officials have said they are not seeing indications of a terrorist threat to the United States after attacks on a Brussels metro station and airport killed at least 34 people and wounded more than 120 on Tuesday.



Speaking from Cuba, President Obama pledged solidarity with “our ally Belgium”.



“The world must unite,” Obama said. “We must be together, regardless of nationality, race or faith, in fighting against the scourge of terrorism.”

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is tasked with protecting the US from domestic attack, urged public vigilance and held out the prospect of urging different security routines in line with any changes to intelligence.

In New York, police were deploying extra counter-terrorism and other resources across the city and underground transport system. The NYPD said the measures were out of an “abundance of caution” and added it was “closely monitoring the situation in Belgium and is in close contact with our international partners and with the FBI”.

In Washington DC, transport police said in a tweet: “No known, specific or credible threat to Metro at this time. Additional K9 sweeps + patrols starting this AM as precaution.”

On the US financial markets, shares in American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Continental Holdings, JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines were down between 3.3% and 1.6% in pre-market trading.

Delta and United Airlines rerouted Brussels-bound flights to other locations following the attacks.

International reaction

The Russian transport minister, Maxim Sokolov, said the authorities would review security at the country’s airports.

In Germany, the state rail system, Deutsche Bahn, has halted its high-speed rail service from Germany to Brussels. The company said its ICE trains were stopping at the border city of Aachen.

The Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, tweeted that Australians were in solidarity with the people of Belgium following the attacks.

“Deeply concerned by the attacks in Brussels. Australians’ thoughts, prayers & solidarity are with the people of Belgium,” he tweeted.

Australia’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop, said in a statement the Australian government condemned the atrocities. “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the people of Belgium,” she said.