Belgian prosecutors have named two brothers as being among three suicide attackers who struck Brussels airport and a metro train, killing at least 31 people and injuring 270. The third named bomber is believed to be an explosives expert.
Belgium has launched a hunt for a fourth suspect in the bombings in Europe's heart, who was captured by airport surveillance cameras pushing baggage trolleys with the two other men suspected of being the bombers.
The blasts Tuesday occurred four days after the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, the prime suspect in the Paris terror attacks also claimed by Islamic State jihadists.
Here is a timeline of what has happened so far.
TUESDAY
- At 7:58 (0658 GMT): A first blast hits Zaventem international airport, followed nine seconds later by a second blast. Witnesses say they heard shots in the departure hall before someone shouted in Arabic and then two explosions occurred.
- Shortly before 0800 GMT: The airport is closed and a crisis cell meets at the interior ministry.
- Shortly after 0800 GMT: A third explosion hits the second carriage of a train in Maalbeek metro station near EU headquarters.
- 0815 GMT: Belgium moves to its highest level of terror alert.
- Shortly before 0900 GMT: The European Commission tells staff to stay home or in their offices, and a similar appeal is later made by the Belgian crisis centre to all Brussels residents.
- Shortly before 0930 GMT: All public transport grinds to a halt. Within the hour, the high-speed Thalys train service between Belgium, France and the Netherlands stops too, airports in cities including Frankfurt, London and Moscow beef up security. The border between Belgium and the Netherlands is reinforced.
- Shortly before 1030 GMT: Police and soldiers reinforce security around Belgium's nuclear power plants.
- 1045 GMT: Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel condemns the "blind, violent and cowardly" attacks.
- Shortly before 1100 GMT: Federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw says one airport blast was "probably caused by a suicide bomber".
- 1100 GMT: "The whole of Europe has been hit," says French President Francois Hollande.
- Eurostar train service between London and Brussels is suspended.
- 1330 GMT: Brussels mayor Yvan Mayeur says there are "around 20" dead with another 106 wounded at the metro station.
- 1345 GMT: A fire service spokesman says the airport attack killed 14 people and left more than 90 wounded.
- 1425 GMT: US President Barack Obama condemns the "outrageous" attacks.
- 1500 GMT: The Belgian government declares three days of mourning.
- Shortly after 1500 GMT: Media publish video surveillance pictures of the airport bombing suspects, three men pushing luggage trolleys.
- 1600 GMT: UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemns the "despicable" attacks.
- 1615 GMT: Third bomb failed to explode at Brussels airport, says Brussels governor.
That bomb contained the heaviest charge, but the instability of the explosives caused it to go off shortly after the arrival of the Mine Clearance Service, the federal prosecutors said.
- 1640 GMT: The IS group claims responsibility, saying "soldiers of the caliphate" carried out the attack against "the crusader state" of Belgium.
- 1715 GMT: Belgian police issue a wanted notice for an airport attack suspect.
- 1740 GMT: Belgium's federal prosecutor says the airport assault may have been carried out by two suicide bombers and the police are "actively looking" for a third attacker.
- 1745 GMT: Police carry out raids across Belgium.
- 2030 GMT: The Brussels airport attackers "came in a taxi with their suitcases, their bombs were in their bags," local mayor says.
- After 2030, police acting on a tip from a taxi driver who had taken three men to the airport searched a house in Schaarbeek and found 15 kg of TATP high explosive, 150 litres (40 US gallons) of acetone, detonators, bags filled with nails plus other equipment.
WEDNESDAY
- 0730 GMT: Two of the suicide bombers named by media as Ibrahim and Khalid El Bakraoui, sought for links with key Paris attacks suspect, Salah Abdeslam.
- 1100 GMT: Belgians observe minute of silence for attack victims.
- 1230 GMT: Khalid El Bakraoui identified by federal prosecutor as Brussels metro bomber, his brother Ibrahim as airport bomber. Second airport bomber not identified while third unidentified assailant on the run.
Investigators say they found a message from Ibrahim on an abandoned computer saying he felt "hunted everywhere... no longer safe".
- 1600 GMT: Obama says "world has to be united against terrorism."
- 1730 GMT: Brussels airport to remain closed until Saturday.
- 1800 GMT: Turkey says it deported Ibrahim El Bakraoui to Netherlands in 2015 and notified Belgium.
- 1830 GMT: Second airport suicide bomber identified as Najim Laachraoui, police sources tell AFP.
Belgian prosecutors have named two brothers as being among three suicide attackers who struck Brussels airport and a metro train, killing at least 31 people and injuring 270. The third named bomber is believed to be an explosives expert.
Belgium has launched a hunt for a fourth suspect in the bombings in Europe’s heart, who was captured by airport surveillance cameras pushing baggage trolleys with the two other men suspected of being the bombers.
The blasts Tuesday occurred four days after the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, the prime suspect in the Paris terror attacks also claimed by Islamic State jihadists.
Here is a timeline of what has happened so far.
TUESDAY
– At 7:58 (0658 GMT): A first blast hits Zaventem international airport, followed nine seconds later by a second blast. Witnesses say they heard shots in the departure hall before someone shouted in Arabic and then two explosions occurred.
– Shortly before 0800 GMT: The airport is closed and a crisis cell meets at the interior ministry.
– Shortly after 0800 GMT: A third explosion hits the second carriage of a train in Maalbeek metro station near EU headquarters.
– 0815 GMT: Belgium moves to its highest level of terror alert.
– Shortly before 0900 GMT: The European Commission tells staff to stay home or in their offices, and a similar appeal is later made by the Belgian crisis centre to all Brussels residents.
– Shortly before 0930 GMT: All public transport grinds to a halt. Within the hour, the high-speed Thalys train service between Belgium, France and the Netherlands stops too, airports in cities including Frankfurt, London and Moscow beef up security. The border between Belgium and the Netherlands is reinforced.
– Shortly before 1030 GMT: Police and soldiers reinforce security around Belgium’s nuclear power plants.
– 1045 GMT: Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel condemns the “blind, violent and cowardly” attacks.
– Shortly before 1100 GMT: Federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw says one airport blast was “probably caused by a suicide bomber”.
– 1100 GMT: “The whole of Europe has been hit,” says French President Francois Hollande.
– Eurostar train service between London and Brussels is suspended.
– 1330 GMT: Brussels mayor Yvan Mayeur says there are “around 20” dead with another 106 wounded at the metro station.
– 1345 GMT: A fire service spokesman says the airport attack killed 14 people and left more than 90 wounded.
– 1425 GMT: US President Barack Obama condemns the “outrageous” attacks.
– 1500 GMT: The Belgian government declares three days of mourning.
– Shortly after 1500 GMT: Media publish video surveillance pictures of the airport bombing suspects, three men pushing luggage trolleys.
– 1600 GMT: UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemns the “despicable” attacks.
– 1615 GMT: Third bomb failed to explode at Brussels airport, says Brussels governor.
That bomb contained the heaviest charge, but the instability of the explosives caused it to go off shortly after the arrival of the Mine Clearance Service, the federal prosecutors said.
– 1640 GMT: The IS group claims responsibility, saying “soldiers of the caliphate” carried out the attack against “the crusader state” of Belgium.
– 1715 GMT: Belgian police issue a wanted notice for an airport attack suspect.
– 1740 GMT: Belgium’s federal prosecutor says the airport assault may have been carried out by two suicide bombers and the police are “actively looking” for a third attacker.
– 1745 GMT: Police carry out raids across Belgium.
– 2030 GMT: The Brussels airport attackers “came in a taxi with their suitcases, their bombs were in their bags,” local mayor says.
– After 2030, police acting on a tip from a taxi driver who had taken three men to the airport searched a house in Schaarbeek and found 15 kg of TATP high explosive, 150 litres (40 US gallons) of acetone, detonators, bags filled with nails plus other equipment.
WEDNESDAY
– 0730 GMT: Two of the suicide bombers named by media as Ibrahim and Khalid El Bakraoui, sought for links with key Paris attacks suspect, Salah Abdeslam.
– 1100 GMT: Belgians observe minute of silence for attack victims.
– 1230 GMT: Khalid El Bakraoui identified by federal prosecutor as Brussels metro bomber, his brother Ibrahim as airport bomber. Second airport bomber not identified while third unidentified assailant on the run.
Investigators say they found a message from Ibrahim on an abandoned computer saying he felt “hunted everywhere… no longer safe”.
– 1600 GMT: Obama says “world has to be united against terrorism.”
– 1730 GMT: Brussels airport to remain closed until Saturday.
– 1800 GMT: Turkey says it deported Ibrahim El Bakraoui to Netherlands in 2015 and notified Belgium.
– 1830 GMT: Second airport suicide bomber identified as Najim Laachraoui, police sources tell AFP.
