Brussels bombings: 34 killed, hundreds wounded in Islamic State terrorist attacks

• Two blasts at Zaventem airport 

• Third explosion hits Metro system
• 34 killed and 200 injured
• Three suspects caught on camera
• Islamic State claims responsibility
• Security stepped up across Europe,

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for three explosions at Brussels’ main airport and a Metro station that killed 34 people and injured at least 200.

Two explosions in the check-in area of Zaventem airport at 8am local time claimed more than a dozen lives.Not long after a bomb tore through Maelbeek metro station killing at least 20 people and injuring about 130 others.

Maelbeek is the closest metro station to buildings that house the European Commission.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombings, which occurred just four days after the leading suspect in last November’s Paris attacks was arrerested in a Muslim-dominated suburb of Brussels.

Police believe the Paris attacks were conceived and executed by Islamic State cells based in Brussels, making it Europe’s terrorist capital.

The IS official news agency, Amaq, says the were carried out against “a country participating in the international coalition against the Islamic State.”

Authorities say two suicide bombers carried out the airport attacks and one explosive device that didn’t go off was later detonated by a bomb squad.

Security cameras caught three suspects pushing large suitcases into the airport and a hunt in under way for one man who left the scene (see picture below). 

The attacks come days after the capture  of Salah Abdeslam after a four-month manhunt. He is said to be the sole survivor of the November 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130.

Security was tightened across Europe at railway stations and airports. Travel was disrupted for tens of thousands of passengers as flights and trains to and from Brussels were cancelled.

The city’s entire public transport system was also temporarily shut down. The airport is not expected to reopen until Thursday for the busy Easter travel period.

These two men dressed in black are believed to have blown themselves up in the check-in area of Zaventem Airport in the northeast of Brussels.

They are wearing black gloves on their lefts hands that could be disguising detonators for their bombs or explosive belts.

The third man in white is thought to have escaped and is now being hunted by police,

Follow NBR on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram for the latest news and free on-demand audio from NBR Radio.