EU airports, subways increase security levels

UK, Dutch and Polish governments convene emergency meetings after Brussels attacks

Authorities in Europe have tightened security at airports, on subways, at the borders and on city streets after deadly attacks on the Brussels airport and its subway system on Tuesday.

The Paris airport authority said security was tightened at all Paris airports soon after the terror attacks in Brussels on Tuesday morning. Airports in London, Prague, Amsterdam, Vienna, and many others, also saw increased security.

The attacks come just days after the main suspect in the Nov 13 Paris attacks was arrested in Brussels on Friday.

In Moscow, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov told Russian news agencies that authorities will "re-evaluate security" at Russian airports, although its measures are already among some of the toughest across Europe. There have been mandatory checks at the entrances to airports since a 2011 suicide bombing at Moscow's Domodedovo airport that killed 37.

In London, Gatwick airport said that "as a result of the terrible incidents in Brussels we have increased our security presence and patrols around the airport". Heathrow said it was working with police to provide a "high-visibility" presence in light of the attacks.

In Germany, the state rail system, Deutsche Bahn, has halted its high-speed rail service from Germany to Brussels.

The UK, Dutch and Polish governments convened emergency security meetings as they beefed up security at airports.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and UK's David Cameron vowed to help Belgium.

"Our thoughts are there, in Brussels and we are praying for the victims," said Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo.

Austrian Interior Ministry spokesman Karl-Heinz Grundboeck said more police are on the streets and at airports in Vienna and other major Austrian cities.

Spain's Interior Ministry said officials were meeting to discuss the situation following the blasts in Brussels but that for the moment Spain was maintaining its Security Alert Level 4 - one step below the maximum - that has been in place since the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris in January 2015.

AP - Reuters

(China Daily 03/23/2016 page12)