SECURITY TIGHTENED, PANIC SPREADS
European countries have stepped up security measures and are seeking solidarity in confronting terrorism.
In the Netherlands, Belgium's northern neighbor, police increased monitoring and surveillance over suspicious activity across the country. There was increased police deployment at train stations in its four major cities and at other train stations with international traffic.
Tightened border controls were introduced at the southern border of the Netherlands, and trains to and from Brussels no longer ride. People travelling to Belgium were stranded at train stations in cities near the Belgian border.
In Paris, security patrols were reinforced in the French capital's two main airports. Additional police forces have been deployed to control trains coming from Belgium.
German police have increased security on the borders with Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, as well as German airports and railway stations.
Security measures have also been beefed up in Britain, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Italy, Greece, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic.
The attacks have also provoked a global panic.
In Turkey, an international football tournament which was scheduled to be held in the western coastal province of Izmir, has been postponed over security reasons.
"After the terror attacks in Brussels, European clubs decided not to send their football teams to Izmir," a statement at Izmir Cup's website said.
EU OFFICIALS TO MEET
The Dutch presidency of the EU will organize a ministerial meeting of the bloc to discuss the attacks in Brussels "possibly Thursday morning," said a Dutch minister.
Earlier in the morning, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the press after a cabinet meeting that the Netherlands is in close contact with Germany, Belgium and France in case additional measures are required.
On Wednesday, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel will host a prearranged visit by his French counterpart, Manuel Valls, who declared "We are at war" following the attack.
The Brussels attacks came four months after the Paris bloodshed in which terrorists bombed several places in the city and killed 130 people.
Brussels was later founded out to be highly linked to the Paris attacks as it served as a hiding place for the terrorists. Salad Abdeslam, the most wanted Paris suspect, was arrested in Brussels on Friday.
