Wilmington native reacts from Brussels after terror attacks
Tuesday’s bombings may have taken place in Brussels, but they hit close to home for two area college students.
Wilmington native Christina Ciconte checked in with 47 ABC Tuesday morning from Brussels following the pair of deadly bombings.
“It was very crowded, I want to say people were very concerned about their safety as well as where exactly to go.”
As an intern with a European Parliament member studying abroad in Brussels for the Spring semester, Ciconte left the metro minutes before the bombs went off. Once mayhem broke out she says her instincts took over.
“I think I was too busy trying to get to parliament and get into survival a survival mode to actually be scared.” Said Ciconte. “I’m still looking out my window and it’s like a ghost town here in Brussels.”
Salisbury University student John Thompson was in a similar position last year. As international studies major he was studying European peace and security in Brussels as the Paris attacks took place. Like Ciconte, his awareness trumped fear.
“Was I worried? Of course. Was I more cognisant of my surroundings? Of course.,” Thompson told 47 ABC. “I did feel secure, I did feel safe.”
Thompson says when he woke to news Tuesday morning he was scared and concerned. Not for himself, but for his Vesalius College friends and professors.
“right off the bat I shot up and started texting and Facebooking all the friends who are over there as well as professors,”
Thompson tells us that everyone he was concerned about turned out to be ok.
We spoke with doctor Haven Simmons of Salisbury University who teaches terrorism-related classes for FEMA. He tells us that from a psychological standpoint many tourists and residents in Brussels will likely walk in fear for some time. Creating that fear is apparently a tactic that terrorists use to cause discomfort as well as recruit.
As far as what to look out for in a suspicious figures who may be looking to commit acts of terror, Evan Avnet of Tactical American Security Consulting says to look for things like people wearing jackets on hot days. This hides explosive vests that may be detonated. He also says look for bags, satchels or backpacks that seem to be out of place. Avnet says that due to advances in technology, hiding a bomb is as easy as it ever was for a terrorist.
“The technology has shrunk. Timing controls and just general operation controls of explosive devices have really shrunk down in size.”
Avnet tells us that while it’s common for modern bomb controls to be smaller in size, the carriers themselves will often be wearing bulky armored vests.
