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| Europe |
| Brussels cancels New Year fireworks on terror concerns |
| 2007-12-30 |
| Traditional New Year's Eve fireworks in central Brussels have been canceled due to a continuing terror threat in the Belgian capital, officials said Sunday. The popular downtown Christmas market will close early, at 6 p.m., on Dec. 31 rather than staying open all night, and the adjacent skating rink will shut at 8 p.m. Authorities warned of an increased risk of attack after police last week detained 14 people suspected of plotting to help an accused al-Qaida militant break out of jail. Note to whoever is running Belgium this weekend: the increased risk did not come from DETAINING the suspects, but from RELEASING them the next day. Duh. The inmate, Nizar Trabelsi, 37, is a Tunisian ex-professional soccer player who is serving 10 years for plotting to drive a car bomb into the cafeteria of a Belgian air force base housing about 100 U.S. military personnel. However, in a letter published by the daily newspaper La Derniere Heure, Trabelsi denied that his supporters were plotting his jailbreak or any terror attack. A judge ordered his supporters' release for lack of evidence, and all suspects have maintained their innocence. "As pure as the driven snow, yer Honor!" Authorities said the city would maintain heightened security measures until at least Jan. 3. "We've reviewed the situation and the conclusion is that there is no reason to scale back the current level of (terror) alert," said Jaak Raes, director general of the government's Crisis Center. "The aim is not to create panic ... but to avoid unnecessary risks." The government said last week it had information that the suspects were plotting to use explosives and other weapons to free Trabelsi, who was arrested in Brussels in 2001, two days after the Sept. 11 attacks, and convicted two years later. During his trial, Trabelsi admitted plotting to kill U.S. soldiers based in northeastern Belgium, saying he had met al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and asked to become a suicide bomber. Trabelsi came to Europe to play professional soccer in 1989. Over the next few years, he bounced from team to team in the minor leagues, acquiring a cocaine habit and a criminal record. Eventually, he made his way to al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan, where evidence presented at his trial showed he placed himself on a "list of martyrs" ready to commit suicide attacks. Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt warned that the suspects also could have other targets in mind, and ordered police to step up security at the airport, in subway stations and at the Christmas market. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #6 When fireworks are outlawed, only outlaws will have fireworks. |
| Posted by: doc 2007-12-30 18:49 |
| #5 The brave Belgian politicians bravely ran away. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-12-30 18:02 |
| #4 I've noticed that a lot of politicians don't like fireworks on principle, any more than they would enjoy attending a guillotine festival. Makes them nervous. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-12-30 17:47 |
| #3 at least we don't have to travel to the Middle East to find "cheap" burkas |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-12-30 15:40 |
| #2 The Belgium Caliphate awaits its ruler.... |
| Posted by: john frum 2007-12-30 14:48 |
| #1 "Good dhimmi." ::patpatpat:: |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-12-30 13:32 |