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| Brussels Remains on Lockdown as Number of Arrests Rises to 21 | Brussels Remains on Lockdown as Number of Arrests Rises to 21 |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| BRUSSELS — The capital of Belgium entered the third day of a siegelike lockdown on Monday: Schools, shopping malls, public transit and food markets remained closed, and hotels and bars were desolate, as the total number of arrests in a sweeping counterterrorism operation rose to 21. | |
| The authorities searched five homes in the Brussels area and two in the Liège region overnight, seized 26,000 euros, or about $27,600, and arrested five people, in addition to the 16 who were detained on Sunday, according to Eric Van der Sijpt, a magistrate and a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office. | The authorities searched five homes in the Brussels area and two in the Liège region overnight, seized 26,000 euros, or about $27,600, and arrested five people, in addition to the 16 who were detained on Sunday, according to Eric Van der Sijpt, a magistrate and a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office. |
| But one of the chief targets of the raids — Salah Abdeslam, a 26-year-old Frenchman who is believed to have taken part in the terrorist attacks in Paris on Nov. 13 — remained at large. A BMW that was pulled over on Sunday night around Liège, which was seized upon by some on the Internet, has “no link at all with the ongoing operation,” Mr. Van der Sijpt said in a statement. | |
| Some of the rhythms of daily life resumed on Monday, the first weekday since the authorities put the Brussels region on the highest level of alert — Level 4 — out of fear of a “serious and imminent” attack like the one in Paris. At least four of the attackers in Paris had lived in Belgium, including Mr. Abdeslam and the suspected organizer, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who was killed in a police raid outside Paris last week. | Some of the rhythms of daily life resumed on Monday, the first weekday since the authorities put the Brussels region on the highest level of alert — Level 4 — out of fear of a “serious and imminent” attack like the one in Paris. At least four of the attackers in Paris had lived in Belgium, including Mr. Abdeslam and the suspected organizer, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who was killed in a police raid outside Paris last week. |
| In Brussels, security was tightened around the buildings that house the European Commission, while NATO advised some employees to work from home. The central square, known as the Grand Place or the Grote Markt, usually bustling with shoppers preparing for Christmas, was relatively empty. Many large stores were closed. | In Brussels, security was tightened around the buildings that house the European Commission, while NATO advised some employees to work from home. The central square, known as the Grand Place or the Grote Markt, usually bustling with shoppers preparing for Christmas, was relatively empty. Many large stores were closed. |
| The authorities urged citizens not to discuss police operations on Twitter for fear of tipping off the suspects they were seeking. Many Belgians complied by posting pictures of cats with the hashtag #BrusselsLockdown. | |
| The level of anxiety was so high that the authorities felt compelled to remind people that “you can leave your house of course (in Brussels, too),” while adding that “we recommend you avoid unnecessary travel to busy places and comply with any potential security check.” | |
| Those who did venture out of their homes strolled in sunny weather on thoroughfares like the Boulevard Anspach, in front of the old stock exchange, just a few streets away from the scene of an intensive raid the previous night. They said they felt safe seeing so many police officers and soldiers in the streets. | |
| “It’s a very strange atmosphere,” said Guy Egerickx, 60, a retiree, who came out to shop. “It’s something that I’ve never experienced before.” | “It’s a very strange atmosphere,” said Guy Egerickx, 60, a retiree, who came out to shop. “It’s something that I’ve never experienced before.” |
| Mukando Fortuna, 20, said the police presence was reassuring. “I’m usually stopped and searched by the police, which really irritates me,” he said, wearing hip sunglasses and chatting with a group of friends. | |
| “But this time, they haven’t. They’re cool,” he said. “We’re not scared because of a group of idiots.” | |
| Abdel Messaoudi, who manages a Pizza Hut, said that revenues have fallen at least 75 percent since Saturday because clients have stayed away. He said he told his employees not to bother to come to work on Monday because the subway was not operating. | |
| “I’ve never, ever seen Brussels this quiet,” he said, taking a cigarette break. Usually the city is teeming with tourists and workers in this part of the city, he said, but the size of crowds has shrunk by at least two-thirds. | “I’ve never, ever seen Brussels this quiet,” he said, taking a cigarette break. Usually the city is teeming with tourists and workers in this part of the city, he said, but the size of crowds has shrunk by at least two-thirds. |
| A staff member at an upscale Novotel said that the hotel has been dealing with “cancellations one after the other.” The employee, who asked not to be named because he was not permitted to talk to the news media, said that more than half of the hotel’s guests canceled at the last minute. “We’ve never seen anything like it,” the employee said, adding that the hotel is almost always full. | |
| In France, the country’s finance minister, Michel Sapin, on Monday announced measures to restrict access to financing for people who are planning or carrying out terrorist attacks. | In France, the country’s finance minister, Michel Sapin, on Monday announced measures to restrict access to financing for people who are planning or carrying out terrorist attacks. |
| Mr. Sapin said that France would tighten rules for the use of prepaid bank cards, which can be used anonymously under certain thresholds, by early next year. | Mr. Sapin said that France would tighten rules for the use of prepaid bank cards, which can be used anonymously under certain thresholds, by early next year. |
| Current rules do not require ID checks for the use of nonrechargeable prepaid bank cards for sums below €250, or for the use of rechargeable cards for sums below €2,500 over a year. | Current rules do not require ID checks for the use of nonrechargeable prepaid bank cards for sums below €250, or for the use of rechargeable cards for sums below €2,500 over a year. |
| Prepaid cards were used by the attackers who killed 130 people in Paris and neighboring St.-Denis on the evening of Nov. 13, Mr. Sapin said, but he did not elaborate on where or how the cards were used. | Prepaid cards were used by the attackers who killed 130 people in Paris and neighboring St.-Denis on the evening of Nov. 13, Mr. Sapin said, but he did not elaborate on where or how the cards were used. |
| Mr. Sapin also said that French authorities combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism would be given direct access to the police database of wanted or suspected individuals. He added that the government would introduce legislation to expand the authorities’ ability to freeze the financial assets of terrorism suspects to include vehicles and real estate. |