A Journalist ‘In Cahoots’
That day, three coordinated ISIL suicide bombings would take place in Brussels. Thirty-two civilians and three perpetrators would be left dead, and more than 300 people injured. Another bomb was found during a search of the airport. The entire city, if not the whole continent, was consumed by horror and apprehension. However, our extensive experience of dealing with major events enabled us to restore our composure quickly. We went straight from tourist to journalist mode. Since we knew that Al Jazeera had no resident reporter in Brussels, we immediately telephoned the news desk in Doha. But we had no equipment apart from our mobile phones. Al Jazeera’s live coverage, which ran for days, started from my mobile. The newsgathering desk later informed us that satellite windows had been arranged for me to report live through a service provider. With a curfew in place, it was impossible to use a car or taxi. We had no alternative but to have our phones fully charged and venture out onto the streets of Brussels to walk to the live position. All of our moves were carefully calculated amid the overwhelming chaos and uncertainty. By the time we reached the live position, the third bombing had taken place at a Brussels metro station. The police cordoned off the area in anticipation of more attacks. The service provider cancelled the booking and closed their premises.
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