w  rd 2 the woss

It has been exactly two - weeks since three suicide bombers detonated bombs in the Brussels International Airport and the Brussels Metro. The attacks that took place on the 22nd of March claimed the lives of 31 people, and injured over 300 more. In the initial aftermath, the city of Brussels went into lockdown, with police and military personnel patrolling the streets. As the hours turned into days numerous raids were made on various properties. Additionally, a number of arrests were made, with many sentences issued within a few hours.

Not two hours after the attack, the Islamic State claimed responsibility, proceeding to say that more attacks would follow. An investigation into the attack itself quickly revealed the identities of the bombers. Three were captured on CCTV walking through the departure area of Brussels Airport. Already, the man furthest on the right in the image has been identified as Faycal C, and was arrested and sentenced. The man in the middle has been identified as  Brahim el-Bakraoui, who also has a brother Khalid who detonated the metro bomb. However the man on the far left of the image has not yet been formally identified.

Further investigation and raids have led to the discovery of further terrorist plans, one including the killing of the Belgian Prime Minister. A fellow WOSS student, Vidit Desai, found himself amidst all this madness with his presence in the Brussels Airport when the bombs went off, and in Belgium for the few days after. The following is an excerpt of the exchange that I had with him regarding his recollections of the event.

Why were you in Brussels at the time?

I was coming back from a two week trip to India. On the way back we had a connecting flight from the airport in Brussels.

What happened exactly while you were at the airport?

Well we landed and it was only supposed to be 3 hour wait. I decided to explore the airport because I was bored  and all of a sudden I heard the screams of people around me. I turned to an airport official who couldn't tell me what happened only that I had to evacuate. I found the nearest exit and exited the airport. I managed to reunite with my family outside. It was only when we had gotten outside that we discovered what had truly happened.

What was the atmosphere like outside? Did you talk to anyone?

Well it was about 3 degrees so it was freezing. There was this aura of fear for about the first 30 mins but soon enough everyone started to settle down. One thing that was noticeable was the fact that everyone had their cell phones out recording the proceedings. It seemed like every 20 minutes some sort of emergency vehicle would pass by. I managed to talk to some people who were on their way back to France. It's a good thing I took French this year.

What happened after those three hours, where did you go?

We were transported to a school gymnasium. It was just one of the many shelters set up for those who had been stuck at the airport. There were at least a few hundred people there

How long were you at the school gymnasium? Were you talked to by anyone?

There I was halfway across the world from India but there were at least 150 Indians in the gymnasium so there was never a shortage of people to talk to. Many local volunteers were also there to hand out food and water. We were there for about 4 hours before the airline sent a representative.

Where did the representatives put you?

We were bussed to Antwerp from Brussels. It was a 35 minute bus ride. They got us hotel accommodations at a hotel in Antwerp.

Did you notice anything about the city while leaving? How was the atmosphere in the city?

Roads were blocked and the people were out on the streets. Emergency vehicles were almost a regular sight. There were no busses running, all public transport was cancelled. The city basically shut down.

How long were you in Antwerp for?

Approximately 1 day. It was a relatively new experience as everyone there spoke Flemish, a language I don't understand.

After Antwerp you made it to the Netherlands right? Was that arranged by the airline?

Yes it was, the day after we arrived in Antwerp, the airline organized a bus ride to Amsterdam. The Brussels airport was closed as investigations had to be completed so the only hope of flying home was through the Netherlands.

A proper conclusion to the investigation has not yet been made, as investigators are looking at anything and everything that led up to the bombing itself. Questions remain however about how much the Belgian authorities knew, if they knew anything at all, and whether or not they paid enough attention to what happened in Paris in late 2015.

The attack has marked a turning however in the fight with so called Islamic State, a year ago none of what we have seen would seem real. Worry now spreads through Europe, as many are unsure about what is happening, and what if anything the governments are really doing about it.