"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-03-22T14:16:57Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/03/22/brussels-under-attack-60-seconds-sdg-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="brussels under attack 60 seconds sdg orig"
data-first-publish-slug="brussels under attack 60 seconds sdg orig"
data-video-tags="2016 brussels terror attacks,accidents, disasters and safety,air transportation,airports,belgium,brussels,business and industry sectors,europe,explosions,international relations and national security,national security,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,terrorist attacks,transportation and warehousing,unrest, conflicts and war,western europe"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-04-08T15:35:34Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/04/08/belgium-brussels-attacks-arrests-morgan-lkl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Belgium Brussels attacks arrests morgan lkl"
data-first-publish-slug="Belgium Brussels attacks arrests morgan lkl"
data-video-tags="2016 brussels terror attacks,accidents, disasters and safety,air transportation,air transportation safety,airports,arrests,aviation security,belgium,brussels,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,counterterrorism,crime, law enforcement and corrections,criminal law,europe,international relations and national security,law and legal system,law enforcement,national security,safety issues and practices,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,terrorist attacks,transportation and warehousing,travel and tourism,travel safety and security,unrest, conflicts and war,western europe"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-12-14T22:56:44Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2016/12/14/remembering-gail-martinez-brussels-terror-attack-origwx-jm.cnn"
data-branding-key="2016-elections"
data-video-slug="Remembering Gail Martinez Brussels Terror Attack origwx JM"
data-first-publish-slug="Remembering Gail Martinez Brussels Terror Attack origwx JM"
data-video-tags="air transportation,airports,belgium,brussels,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,europe,international relations and national security,national security,suicide bombings,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,terrorist attacks,transportation and warehousing,western europe,us federal departments and agencies,us department of defense,us air force,bombings,unrest, conflicts and war"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-04-07T21:15:27Z"
data-video-section="tv"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/04/07/new-video-released-uknown-brussels-airport-attacker-sciutto-lead-dnt.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="new video released uknown brussels airport attacker sciutto lead dnt"
data-first-publish-slug="new video released uknown brussels airport attacker sciutto lead dnt"
data-video-tags=""
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
New video shows Belgian terror attacker leaving airport
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-03-23T03:05:51Z"
data-video-section="tv"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/03/23/worldwide-lights-display-belgium-flag-cnn-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="worldwide lights display Belgium flag cnn orig"
data-first-publish-slug="worldwide lights display Belgium flag cnn orig"
data-video-tags="belgium,europe,international relations and national security,national security,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,western europe,brussels,business and industry sectors,historic districts and structures,property and housing regulation and policy,real estate,unrest, conflicts and war"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-03-27T22:21:50Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/03/27/scared-muslim-saima-mohsin-pkg.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="scared muslim Saima Mohsin pkg"
data-first-publish-slug="scared muslim Saima Mohsin pkg"
data-video-tags="2016 brussels terror attacks,asia,belgium,brussels,discrimination,ethnic conflicts,europe,international relations and national security,middle east,middle east and north africa,muslim people,national security,pakistan,population and demographics,racism and racial discrimination,societal issues,society,south asia,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,terrorist attacks,unrest, conflicts and war,western europe"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-03-23T02:28:37Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/03/23/sebastien-bellin-father-speaks-brussels-attack-ac-intv.cnn"
data-branding-key="ac360"
data-video-slug="sebastien bellin father speaks brussels attack ac intv"
data-first-publish-slug="sebastien bellin father speaks brussels attack ac intv"
data-video-tags="2016 brussels terror attacks,belgium,brussels,diseases and disorders,europe,health and medical,international relations and national security,national security,parents and parenting,society,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,terrorist attacks,unrest, conflicts and war,western europe,wounds and injuries,bombings"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-03-22T18:03:22Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/03/22/brussels-terrorist-attack-airport-and-metro-bombings-cm-ts-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="brussels terrorist attack airport and metro bombings cm ts orig"
data-first-publish-slug="brussels terrorist attack airport and metro bombings cm ts orig"
data-video-tags="belgium,bombings,brussels,europe,international relations and national security,national security,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,unrest, conflicts and war,western europe,2016 brussels terror attacks,terrorist attacks"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-03-22T09:16:10Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/03/22/voices-from-belgium-pkg.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="voices from belgium pkg"
data-first-publish-slug="voices from belgium pkg"
data-video-tags="belgium,europe,iraq,middle east,middle east and north africa,syria,western europe,syria conflict,unrest, conflicts and war"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-03-22T10:10:30Z"
data-video-section="world"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/03/22/brussels-explosions-richard-medic-witness-intv-train-station-aftermath-es.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="brussels explosions richard medic witness intv train station aftermath es"
data-first-publish-slug="brussels explosions richard medic witness intv train station aftermath es"
data-video-tags="accidents, disasters and safety,belgium,brussels,business and industry sectors,careers and workplaces,emergency medical workers,europe,explosions,health and medical,health care,health care professionals,public safety workers,western europe,workers and professionals,2016 brussels terror attacks,international relations and national security,national security,terrorism,terrorism and counter-terrorism,terrorist attacks,unrest, conflicts and war"
data-details="">
Several people killed in three explosions in Brussels on Tuesday -- one at a subway station and two at the airport
Terror threat level in Belgium has been raised to four -- its highest level
CNN
—
After multiple blasts rocked Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday, questions are being raised about the identities of attackers – and what this means for the safety of citizens in Europe and the world.
Dozens of people were killed in three explosions at a subway station and airport.
Here, CNN’s International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson gives his analysis of the attack.
Does this attack show the hallmarks of a particular terror group?
Nic Robertson: The first assessment of counter-terrorist experts is that this has to be ISIS – that’s the logical explanation.
When Salah Abdeslam – a man believed to be involved in last year’s Paris attacks – was arrested in Brussels last week, detonating equipment was also discovered in the house he had been hiding in.
Is this retaliation for Abdeslam’s arrest in Brussels on Friday?
NR: It’s potentially a revenge attack, because ISIS would not want to be seen as losing.
But Abdeslam has also been on the run for four months, so we also have to assume that he and ISIS would already have had plans for what they would do after he was arrested.
The explosives that they’re using would be very difficult to make over the space of a weekend. So potentially the equipment of this attack was available before his arrest.
Are Brussels airport departure halls secure?
There has been additional security – although that’s been more in the number of police present.
But you can check in your bags for a flight without there being any security at all. So therefore the suicide bomber could walk into that area, and mix with people, without any risk of security checks.
What does this attack tell us about the way these types of groups operate?
NR: It’s got resilient networks in Belgium, and indeed Europe, and wants to escalate its campaign here.
The numbers of young fighters from Europe that joined Isis in Iraq and Syria is estimated at more than 1,000.
And each of those fighters that comes back to Europe is potentially a hero in their own community – as well as a recruiter.
These fighters get to know each other while training, and when they return to Europe, those large networks of trust are intact.
And the depth of their capabilities and resources?
NR: They’ve proven that they’re quite capable of making explosives – as seen in the Paris and Brussels attacks.
We’ve seen ISIS’ growing ability to export strategies for complex terror attacks, techniques for making explosives, and the use of military-style weapons.
They also obviously want to plan complex attacks – meaning, attacks in multiple locations.
What’s the background to terror attacks in Belgium?
NR: There have been recruitment cells for veteran Islamist terror group al Qaeda in the past. Malika El-Aroud, often seen as a jihadi hero, was recruiting Belgian men to go to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the mid-2000s.
El-Aroud became a high-profile recruiter after her late husband helped to kill Ahmed Shah Massoud, a leader of the Northern Alliance, in a suicide mission ordered by Osama Bin Laden.
So there’s a history of al Qaeda in Belgium talking about targeting sporting events and the metro network.
And they’ve really tapped into the alienation of second- and third-generation Muslim immigrants.
What are the consequences of this attack?
NR: Increased security at airports everywhere in Europe. Along with tougher security at airports, I think we’ll also see increased police on the subways.
We can be pretty sure there’ll be special forces units deployed to the outskirts of capitals, if not in the capitals already. This is what happened after the Paris attacks.
