Brussels Airlines raises alert on potential bomb threat

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A Brussels Airlines plane from Cameroon raised the alert at Zaventem Airport on Friday morning. Two people who were on the plane were arrested at Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport because of suspect products found in their hand luggage. They were apparently travelling to the United States via Zaventem.

The two men were not allowed to board. A spokesman for Interior Minister Joëlle Milquet assured airline passengers that any potential risk had been averted. According to VTM Nieuws, the Crisis Centre coordinating threat analysis is currently considering whether additional safety measures are needed.

Cameroonian security services suspected that two passengers were carrying explosives, and that is why they were arrested at the airport in Yaoundé. The other passengers appeared not to be too concerned, and the aircraft was able take off smoothly. But on its arrival at Brussels Airport, it could not travel immediately to the United States until further checks were made.

According to the Crisis Centre, the incident did not pose a threat to Belgium any time. The centre collects available information in order to assess the risk level of terrorist attack, but it did not see the need to raise it on this occasion. The federal prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation.

Photo Zaventem: Wim Bladt