Photo released by Belgian federal police on demand of Federal prosecutor shows screengrab of airport CCTV camera showing suspects of this morning's attacks at Brussels Airport, in Zaventem, March 22, 2016.
PARIS/WASHINGTON —
Belgian police issued a wanted notice for a suspect in the Brussels airport bombing, one of three explosions claimed by Islamic State that rocked the capital Tuesday, killing at least 34 people.
The released photograph taken from closed-circuit television shows a man wearing a black hat, a light-colored jacket jacket, and sunglasses pushing an airport luggage cart alongside two other men who are believed to have been the suicide bombers.
Authorities say the wanted man fled the airport.
Police also say they found a bomb, chemicals, and an Islamic State flag during a raid on a house in a Brussels neighborhood while searching for the suspect.
The detonations, including an attack at a metro station, injured 130 others and prompted Belgium to raise its terror alert to its maximum level.
IS claims responsibility
IS said its attackers opened fire inside the airport, before detonating explosive belts, while a suicide bomber attacked the Maalbeek metro station, according to the militant group's Amaq Agency news site.
"This is a black moment in our country…everyone please be calm and show solidarity,” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel told reporters.
U.S. President Barack Obama, who was in Havana, said, "We will do whatever is necessary for our friend Belgium to bring those who are responsible to justice." He said the U.S. stands in solidarity with Belgium "for the outrageous attacks against innocent people."
Later he spoke by phone with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel to offer his condolences on behalf of the American people. The White House says he reaffirmed the United States' "steadfast support" for Belgium and offered assistance investigating the attacks and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
At least nine Americans are among the wounded, including one Air Force service member. Obama ordered flags lowered to half-staff on U.S. government buildings.
Hundreds of Belgians carried candles and flowers to a nighttime vigil Tuesday night at the Place de la Bourse in central Brussels.
European landmarks including the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, Rome's Trevi Fountain and the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates lit up with the colors of the Belgian flag.
WATCH: President Obama's statement on Brussels attacks
Video footage showed people fleeing the Zaventem airport in Brussels, as a double explosion at about 8 am local time shattered the massive windows, leaving glass and tile scattered on the airport floor and smoke curling into the chilly morning air. Local media reported a third unexploded bomb had also been discovered. News reports at least 11 people were killed in the airport blasts.
A European security official said one or possibly two Kalashnikov rifles had been found at the site of the attack.
A private security guard helps a wounded women outside the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels on March 22, 2016 after a blast at this station located near the EU institutions.
Metro attack
The Brussels mayor said at least 20 people were killed and 55 injured in an explosion just moments later at the at the Maelbeek subway station near the main headquarters of the European Union. EU personnel have been told to either stay in their offices or at home.
Local media described panic on the street and people emerging from the metro with burns and wounds.
All flights in and out of the airport have been cancelled, and Brussels subway system has been shutdown as well. Authorities released surveillance images of three men who could be suspects.
The U.S. State Department issued a travel warning to American citizens throughout Europe, warning them to use caution at sporting events, tourist sites, restaurants, and on transportation. It also advised taking particular care at large festivals and on religious holidays.
Security boosted
Authorities in Frankfurt, London, Paris, and the Netherlands have boosted security at their airports in response to the Brussels' bombing. There is so far no direct link to the November terrorist attacks in Paris also claimed by Islamic State.
The White House said U.S. officials were in close contact with their Belgian counterparts.
The explosions come just days after the arrest of key Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam in Brussels that have raised fears of revenge attacks to follow.
Max Abrahms, a political science professor at Northeastern University who focuses on terrorism, said the blasts were likely part of operations that were planned prior to the arrest.
"They were in the works and quite likely they were expedited in the immediate aftermath of the capture," he told VOA.
Crackdowns on terror groups often motivate terrorist cells to action, said Abrahms.
"There’s an incentive for these kinds of terrorist groups to strike back immediately after an apparent loss to the organization in order to communicate that the group isn’t dead," he said.
A police officer stands guard as people are evacuated from Brussels airport, after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels, Belgium, March 22, 2016.
Link to Paris attacks?
The attacks also bring to mind the November 13 bombings and shootings, claimed by Islamic State, that took place in several places around the French capital.
A connection between the attacks and the arrest of Salah Abdeslam could be "extraordinarily significant," said Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "Literally a watershed for terrorism and counter-terrorism in Europe. It represents the first time you’ve had a jihadist network carry out a major attack – the Paris attack – and then carry out a major follow-along attack," he told VOA.
A European diplomatic official told VOA, "We have to get used to it. We’ve been though this two times last year.”
The official also said recent data suggests there are possibly more than 3,000 people involved in terror networks in Europe and that follow-on attacks or copy-cat attacks are a continuing concern, though other officials say they have seen nothing to indicate anything is imminent.
VOA's National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin and Richard Green contributed to this report
PHOTO BLOG: Brussels terror attacks
Brussels Rocked by Airport, Metro Explosions
1/18People react as they walk away from Brussels airport after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels, Belgium, March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
2/18People leave the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels, Belgium, March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
3/18Broken windows seen at the scene of explosions at Zaventem, March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
4/18People leave the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels, March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
5/18People react as they walk away from Brussels airport after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels, Belgium March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
6/18Ambulances arrive to the scene at Brussels airport, after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels, Belgium, March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
7/18In this image made from video, emergency rescue workers stretcher an unidentified person at the site of an explosion at a metro station in Brussels, March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
8/18A victim receives first aid by rescuers, on March 22, 2016 near Maalbeek metro station in Brussels, after a blast at this station near the EU institutions caused deaths and injuries.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
9/18Passengers evacuating the Brussels Airport of Zaventem, after a string of explosions rocked Brussels airport and a city metro station, killing at least 21 people, as Belgium raised its terror threat to the maximum level, March 22, 2016
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
10/18Policemen speak at a security perimeter near Maalbeek metro station, on March 22, 2016 in Brussels, after a blast at this station near the EU institutions caused deaths and injuries.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
11/18A woman is evacuated in an ambulance by emergency services after a explosion in a main metro station in Brussels, March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
12/18Policemen stand guard at the entrance of a security perimeter set near Maalbeek metro station, on March 22, 2016 in Brussels, after a blast at this station near the EU institutions caused deaths and injuries.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
13/18People comfort each other after being evacuated from Brussels airport, after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels, March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
14/18Firefighters arrive at the scene near Maalbeek metro station, on March 22, 2016 in Brussels, after a blast at this station near the EU institutions caused deaths and injuries.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
15/18A private security guard helps a wounded women outside the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels on March 22, 2016 after a blast at this station located near the EU institutions.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
16/18People leave candles and flowers in tribute to victims of triple bomb attacks in front of the stock exchange building in the city center of Brussels on March 22, 2016.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
17/18Belgium Attacks
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
18/18Flowers, a candle and a letter with the words 'Defy Terror' - ' Preserve Freedom' are placed in front of the Belgian Embassy in Berlin, Germany, March 22, 2016 after the attacks in Brussels.
At least three explosions rocked Brussels Tuesday morning - two at the airport and one at a metro station in the heart of the capital, with local media reporting more than 20 dead and many others injured in the airport blasts.
