Security high at Brussels rail stations after man explodes device

He was shot by soldiers and died later, no one else was injured

Belgian Army soldiers patrol inside Central Station in Brussels on June 21, 2017. Belgian authorities said they foiled a “terror attack” when soldiers shot a suspect in the heart of Brussels after a small explosion at a busy train station on Tuesday on a night that followed a week of attacks in the capitals of Europe.

A Belgian government official said security will remain high on Wednesday at Brussels rail facilities after a man blew up an explosive device at the city’s Central Station.

The man was shot by soldiers after detonating a small device there late on Tuesday. He lay still for several hours while a bomb squad checked whether he was carrying more explosives and later died. No one else was hurt.

 

Central Station re-opened at 0800 (0600 GMT) Wednesday. A police command car and several officers were still at the station, an Associated Press photographer said.

Burn, blood marks

Burn and blood marks remained on the floor at the scene, as workers continued to clean up and paint the area.

Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon told VRT broadcaster that it is important to address security concerns but avoid over-reacting.

“If you protect yourself everywhere against anything, in the end we will end up in a police state,” Mr. Jambon said.

Belgium has been on high alert since suicide bombers killed 32 people at the Brussels airport and a subway station on March 22, 2016.

Federal prosecutors, who visited the Central Station overnight, were due to hold a press conference at 0900 GMT.