Brussels on lockdown as Paris attacks suspect on the run

The Belgian prime minister had warned that “several individuals with arms and explosives could launch an attack” in one or more places in and around the capital.

Belgian army and police patrolled Brussels all weekend and their presence will be increased on Monday, with up to 10 terrorists being hunted, according to Belgian media.

The U.S. Embassy in Belgium urged Americans in the country “to shelter in place and remain at home” while the U.S. European Command issued a 72-hour travel restriction for USA military personnel on travel to Brussels – a city of more than 1 million that is home to the headquarters of the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation alliance and offices of many multinational corporations.

Belgian police arrested 16 more people in late-night raids searching for those behind the deadly November 13 attacks in Paris, but failed to find a prime suspect as the government locked down the capital for a third day on Monday.

In a massive manhunt to find Abdeslam, officials in Brussels have confirmed to have searched 19 houses across the city and had fired twice targeting a vehicle in Molenbeek.

The announcement of the arrests came after a tense night.

As the terror alert remains on its highest level, schools, universities and the subway system will be closed on Monday.

But Justice Minister Koen Geens said in a separate Belga report he expected the metro to re-open on Monday “if all passes off normally…”

Mr Van Der Sypt said “certain elements” in the investigation made Sunday’s intervention necessary.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Paris that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds more; the suicide bombings in Beirut that killed 43 people and injured more than 200; and the downing of the Russian plane carrying 224 people in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

The suspected ringleader, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, died in a massive police raid in Paris on Wednesday along with his cousin Hasna Aitboulahcen, reportedly a one-time party girl who turned to radical Islam about six months ago.

Salah Abdeslam, the only Paris terror attacker who survived, was not among the men captured.

The Belgian interior minister, Jan Jambon, indicated that the government in Brussels was concerned that the attacks in Paris were just the tip of the iceberg in a much more broad, far reaching terrorist plot that would spread throughout Europe, and they may have been right.

“I can’t believe they are closing down the city”.

The State Department declined comment on whether it is taking extra security precautions at its facilities around the world, but said it is “already operating at a high level of security based on recent events”.

“We are working from home and from our disaster recovery dealing room to avoid public places in Brussels”, said Mr Piet Lammens, global head of market research at KBC.

“We have to do it for the security of our customers”, waitress Lourdes Taipe said.