ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Twitter came alive with news, prayers and vitriol, minutes after two explosions ripped through Brussels airport Tuesday, with local media reporting shots and shouts in Arabic before the blasts that killed at least 13 people and wounded 35. Local Belgian media blamed the attacks on suicide bombers. Under the hashtag Brussels (#brussels) people sent prayers and wished everyone a safe exit, while some showed anger and held the Muslim community – particularly Muslim migrants -- responsible for the latest atrocities hitting the European Union’s administrative capital. Shortly after the airport blasts, reportedly at an American Airlines counter in the departure lounge, another explosion was reported at the Maelbeek metro station, shutting down the entire underground transportation network, as the country went on its highest alert – level 4. Around the world, people posted pictures, videos, news and their personal comments, as authorities used the social media site to warn people against coming to the airport. “Don't come to the airport - airport is being evacuated. Avoid the airport area. Flights have been cancelled,” Brussels airport authorities said in a Tweet. All flights were diverted to other destinations. “My thoughts with #Brussels and its citizens after these heinous attacks. Stay in a safe place, follow instructions of authorities,” Tweeted @EP_President, Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament. Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, local Belgian media reported shots and shouts in Arabic before the blast, which they said were being treated as a suicide bombing. Many comments on Twitter were directed against Muslim immigrants in Europe and against Islamic extremism. ”Explosions in #Brussels. Airport and metro station near EU. Where are we heading with this?” @HayderSH from Iraq said in a Twitter post. ”Chaos and violence knows no boundaries now. There needs to be peace everywhere for us to have peace at home,” Tweeted @shekharkapur, a filmmaker from Mumbai, the Indian film capital. “This is the price of Muslim Immigration,” Tweeted @JaredWyand. “Brussels, de facto capital of the EU, is also the jihadist capital of Europe,” said @Allison Pearson. “Step one to stopping terrorism: don't let Muslim terrorists into your country. PROBLEM SOLVED,” said @JaredTSwift. “Nazis called themselves Christians. I wouldn't. #Brussels terrorists may call themselves Muslims. We shouldn't,” Tweeted @markscarbrough. The Belgian capital has been on high alert since the arrest there on Friday of Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving suspect in last year’s Paris attacks. He was reportedly seized in a raid on a Brussels apartment and is under police investigation. Abdeslam is a Belgian-born French national who was Europe's most-wanted fugitive. He is fighting extradition to France to be tried for the November 13 attacks in which some 130 people were killed.
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