JSU students react to terrorism attacks in Brussels

Brussels becomes the latest victim of coordinated terrorist attacks as suicide bombers detonated nail-spewing bombs at an airport and subway train station in the European city.

The March 22 attacks came hot on the heels of a suicide bombing in Istanbul, Turkey, as well as the arrest of Salah Abdesalam, planner of the 2015 attacks on Paris that took the lives of 130 people.

According to Associated Press reports, the attackers first struck with twin bombings at the international airport, where early morning travelers were preparing to board flights linking Brussels to cities across the continent and around the world. An hour later, a subway car transiting beneath the modernist glass-and-steel high-rises that house the European Union burst with smoke and flame.

Brussels now joins the growing list of European locations that have been targeted by ISIS terrorists as an intensive manhunt for at least one of the suspected accomplices is underway.

“What we had feared has happened. “This is a black moment for our country,” said Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel in the report.

The rising death toll stands at 34 with over 250 seriously injured in the attacks.  People all over the world, including here at Jackson State University, have responded with horror as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for another attack.

Members of the international community at JSU are both saddened and fearful of the recent events.

“These terrorist attacks are getting out of hand and people are even scared to get out of their house because they don’t know if they will come back and see their loved ones,” said Darcy Williamson, a senior business marketing major from Victoria, Australia.

Amanuel Kassaye, a freshman electrical engineering major from Ethiopia said, “It’s really sad that innocent people are dying for no reason. There were over 30 people who died and more than 250 people wounded that probably have families and people who loves them.”

Other JSU students believe that the United States should expect subsequent attacks in the wake of the incident.

“I feel terror attacks are imminent in the U.S. I feel we are prepared for attacks to a certain extent. The best way to handle ISIS, in my opinion, is to cut off the head of the body to all together cut it out as a problem in America,” said Jayln Mozee, a junior criminal justice major from Jackson, Miss.

Christopher Johnston, a junior marketing major from Little Rock, Ark., stated that he was not at all surprised by the attacks.

“I’m not shocked to say the least, it’s only a matter of time till the U.S. is the target,” said   Johnston. “I believe the U.S. Armed Forces and government are capable of handling the situation (terrorism in the U.S.) but at the same time we don’t know how powerful the government really is. As far as resolving the ISIS confrontation, I don’t see a positive way of ending their terror spree.”

Brandi Martin-Brooks, a sophomore biology/pre-medicine major from Jackson, Miss. stated that the attacks in Belgium that took the lives of so many individuals unfairly is a crime only someone without a heart world do. She also believes that the United States is vulnerable to similar attacks.

“The U.S. has so many enemies that we never know when we may be attacked and quite frankly, I do not feel as if the U.S. government really cares enough to keep a firm eye on their enemies. I do not feel as if we are prepared to handle a large scale terrorist attack in a timely manner. The U.S. and ISIS should decide what exactly their beef is and find a solution. Too many innocent lives are being taken and no one seems to care,” said Brooks.

Other students feel that there is no way to prepare for acts of terrorism.

I do feel like attacks are imminent in the U.S. I don’t think we can be prepared enough to completely eliminate terrorism. We can do what we can to diminish the chances, but eventually if a group of people dedicate their lives to terrorism, they will accomplish their goal. As long as exploitation, corruption, and injustice are prevalent in the world, terrorist groups will continue to plan and execute these attacks,” said Jeremy Anderson, a junior mass communication major from Baton Rouge, La.

According to AP reports, officials are searching for a suspected Belgian bomb maker who trained in Syria with the Islamic State and later sneaked back into Europe. On Wednesday, Belgian state broadcaster RTBF identified two of the attackers who targeted Brussels as brothers Khalid and Brahim Bakraoui.

Information from the Associated Press was used in the writing of this story. Jorrie Jones and Morgan Beard contributed to this story.