Belgium Remains on High Alert After Weekend Arrests

BRUSSELS — Brussels remained on high alert Monday with increased security after a weekend sweep that left three in jail facing terrorism charges, including relatives of two of the March 22 suicide attackers.

The MIVB metro system said a half-dozen subway stations have reduced entry on request from authorities, but all subway lines in the Belgian capital were running during the morning rush hour.

On Saturday, authorities charged three men with terror-related crimes after raids and the detention of 40 people in a major investigation. Authorities said the probe required "immediate intervention" because they feared a new attack was close.

Among those arrested were relatives of the El-Bakraoui brothers, who were among the suicide bombers in the March 22 attacks.

"We know that radicalism, violent extremism, is in a small minority of the Muslim community and it targets families," Interior Minister Jan Jambon said in an interview with RTBF radio, responding to a question about the family ties among those arrested. He declined to elaborate, beyond saying that "it makes it easier to follow them, because we know where the links are."

Prime Minister Charles Michel said the nation would remain "extremely vigilant, hour by hour," and that the terror level across the country would remain at the second-highest level, meaning a threat of an attack "is possible and likely."

Associated Press. "Belgium Remains on High Alert After Weekend Arrests." June 20, 2016. New York Times. June 20, 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/06/20/world/europe/ap-eu-belgium-security-.html>.

Response:

The article is a short article about the 3 men who have been charged with terrorism charges. Belgium is intensely watching out for any possible attacks because the government has deemed that another attack seems close at hand. They had a major investigation of about 40 people because the authorities wanted "immediate intervention" before a terrorist attack actually happened. 2 of the 3 men who have been charged with terrorism crimes were a relative of suicide attackers from the March 22 attack. The author seems to be unbiased since the article is clearly an informative form, not presenting the bias of one side or the other. It seems to me that Belgium officials are in close attention towards any possible attacks and the family ties "make it easier to follow them [terrorists]" due to their links. The country is in its second=highest level of terror level in that the likelihood of a terrorist attack is very high and possible. This is a very wise act on the part of the government because it is being cautious about a possible disaster and as proven by the 3 men who were arrested, the chances of preventing terror attacks is present.