Just before 8 a.m. on Tuesday, two explosions from shrapnel-spewing bombs detonated in the departure terminal of the Brussels Airport. According to multiple sources, the attack killed 10 people.
Photo by: Cameron Brooks
Around 9:11 a.m., a bomb shattered through the car of a train as it pulled out of the Maelbeek subway station, killing at least 20 people. The Washington Post reported the train was passing directly beneath the building that houses the European Union.
Hours after the second wave of attacks, officials conducted a series of house searches in Brussels. Among their findings were an unexploded bomb loaded with nails and an Islamic State flag, according to the New York Times.
Between the two attacks, around 230 people were injured. Multiple sources have reported police are now considering three possible suspects.
According to CNN News, Belgium has had a tense climate since the Paris attacks with multiple warnings of possible terrorist threats. Brussels is becoming known as a recruiting center for jihadi fighters.
Some have speculated about the timing of the attacks, noting the capture of Salah Abdeslam, a terrorist involved in the Paris attacks, in Brussels last week. The Washington Post reported he was pursued by authorities for four months.
United States officials are saying it is clear ISIS is trying to send an international message by targeting Brussels, the host of the headquarters for both the European Union and NATO.
For those not in Brussels, it is easy to look at these attacks and mourn them for a day or so before moving on to daily life— but for Ole Miss student Collin Nordstrom, the attacks are something he will have a hard time forgetting.
Nordstrom, sophomore marketing and corporate relations major, is spending this semester studying abroad in Brussels. He lives only a half-mile away from the Maelbeek station.
Nordstrom decided to skip class Tuesday morning because he had been feeling sick. He woke up around 10 a.m. to a steady stream of texts from his family, girlfriend and friends.
“At home, everyone was panicked,” Nordstrom said. “They got the news before I did, so there was a lot of lag in my response. I’m sure the first few hours were tough.”
Nordstrom said he had noticed hearing a lot of sirens, more than usual, and went downstairs to watch the news.
He lives with 9 roommates, all of whom work in government buildings close to their apartment. Only one roommate was home when he walked downstairs, resulting in a moment of fear for Nordstrom. He quickly got hold of them and was informed that they were all safe in their buildings.
At 11 a.m. in Brussels, Nordstrom marked himself safe on Facebook. The social network’s Safety Check system was implemented in November after the Paris tragedy, as a way to check on the safety of friends in areas under attack.
Nordstrom said he then went to a nearby store to load up on food and see what was happening outside the walls of his apartment.
According to Nordstrom, the overall atmosphere of the city on the day of the attack was strangely calm. From what he saw, there was no rush or sense of urgency. He described people carrying on with their days as if nothing monumental were happening. The only sign something concerning had happened was the steady sound of sirens every few minutes.
“When I put myself in this situation, I thought that there would be much more panic among the citizens,” Nordstrom said. “I’m sure there was at the site, but when I looked off my balcony, I saw kids playing in the park and people walking by and just couldn’t figure out why they weren’t safe at home. No one seemed worried.”
Nordstrom said his major concern moving forward is knowing that there are likely still more terrorists in the city, including a few that have not been caught from this specific incident. He said he is especially concerned about the tram he takes every day to class, which has essentially no security, compared to the heavily monitored metro.
“I feel safe, but just as I have been my entire stay here, I am cautious and always keeping my head on a swivel,” Nordstrom said. “To watch the news coverage on places so close to my apartment and an airport terminal I was just in a couple of days ago is crazy.”
Nordstrom was planning to travel to several different countries during his upcoming spring break, but he is now not sure if he will be permitted to leave the country. He added that even if he is allowed to leave Belgium, he will be hesitant to take public transportation.
Following the attacks, Nordstrom said he quickly heard from Ole Miss and his university in Brussels.
“They have all been keeping in close contact with me making sure I’m okay,” Nordstrom said. “I am very grateful for that.”
UM director of study abroad Blair McElroy was among the Ole Miss faculty corresponding with Nordstrom.
Immediately following reports of the attack, McElroy and the study abroad office also notified students in surrounding areas of the threats and checked on their whereabouts.
McElroy said these types of situations are always a possibility. She hopes that it doesn’t scare anyone from traveling or studying abroad, but it is a realistic situation where awareness is a necessity.
“This is something students need to prepare for,” McElroy said. “It’s something that is always on our mind, it’s something I think about every day.”
The study abroad office mentions terrorist attacks in meetings and McElroy explained they are continuously monitoring whether students need to leave or stay when dangerous situations develop.
Nordstrom is the only Ole Miss student currently studying abroad in Brussels.
“To be in the city for something as global as this is pretty surreal,” Nordstrom said. “Coming to Brussels, I knew this was always a possibility, but to see it materialize has been something I’ll never forget.”
– Lizzie McIntosh
