Terror alert levels to remain all week

The threat level is being maintained while police work to round up suspected terrorists, including Salah Abdeslam, thought to have taken part in the Paris attacks on 13 November. On Monday, police carried out another round of searches of homes in Liège and Charleroi and detained five people. But no firearms or explosives were found, and Abdeslam remains at large.

Authorities believe they have sound intelligence of the preparation of an attack in Brussels similar to those in Paris, where leisure activities were particularly targeted. “If someone has been able to remain at large until now, we have to conclude he’s receiving support,” said home affairs minister Jan Jambon.

It is too soon to determine whether police operations – including 16 arrests from 22 searches on Sunday – have reduced the threat. “These matters are very sensitive, and too many details could put everything at risk,” Jambon said.

The minister said that further police activity would be carried out this week. The alert levels will remain in place until at least next Monday, he said.

As the capital continues to labour under level 4 conditions, it was decided to re-open schools and underground public transport on Wednesday. Schools in Dilbeek, which were closed yesterday, are open today. Those who use transport or have children in school are finding it impossible to go to work.

Some schools had planned to take children in despite there being no lessons, but they were ordered to shut down completely. The federal government will discuss the huge economic cost of the level 4 operation later.

In the meantime, federal labour minister Kris Peeters has announced that companies in Brussels will be able to claim unemployment for their staff on grounds of force majeure. That allows a company to declare its workers technically unemployed when they cannot carry out their jobs for reasons beyond the company’s control. Workers are then paid a small unemployment benefit by the state employment office.

Photo: Brussels underground transport network will re-open on Wednesday

©William Murphy/Wikimedia