Why Brussels has become the center for terror in Europe
Brussels was struck by three separate attacks on Tuesday, beginning with two explosions around 8 a.m. at the Brussels Airport in Zaventem, and another attack about an hour later at the Maelbeek Metro station in the Brussels. At least 31 people were killed.
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Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is also the de facto capital of the European Union as it is home to the most important EU institutions, and as such represents a prime target for jihadists.
Following the November Paris attacks, the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek was described as a breeding ground for terrorists. At least nine suspects in the Paris attacks, including four with direct involvement, were home-grown radicals who were raised in or had ties to Brussels and the Molenbeek neighborhood.
And last week, Salah Abdeslam, a 26-year-old French national born in Brussels was arrested during a police raid in Molenbeek after months on the run.
More foreign fighters have traveled from Belgium to Syria than from any other country, according to experts on jihadism.
Until the attacks in Paris in November, travel between most European countries was hassle-free, in many cases not even requiring a passport.
An important center of European government, Belgium is bordered by the Netherlands in the north, Germany and Luxembourg in the east, and France in the south.
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