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Czech Republic tightens security following Brussels attacks

Xinhua, March 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Following the terrorist attacks in Brussels, the Czech Republic has in fact raised its terror threat alert level from zero to one, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said Tuesday.

Chovanec said Czech authorities have no information about any terrorist attack threatening the country at present. But they have deployed additional hundreds of police officers to reinforce the patrols and the military personnel will also be deployed.

According to Chovanec, the increased security measures apply to all international airports, cover selected buildings and metro. He said these measures may be further expanded, they will discuss the possibility to increase checks at Czech borders during Tuesday night's meeting.

Chovanec made the remarks at a press conference after talks with Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, and representatives of intelligence services and police.

The deputies were informed about the situation in the afternoon, and an extraordinary government meeting to be held on Tuesday night to approve the increase of the alert degree. So far, the alert degree in Czech Republic is zero.

The terror threat alert system approved by Czech government earlier in 2016 has four degrees from zero to three. In emergency situations, the increase of alert degree could be announced by the interior minister but must be confirmed by the Cabinet within a week.

The first degree is marked with a yellow triangle and points to the existence of a general threat of terrorism. Similar security measures were introduced in the Czech Republic after the terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015. Czech police have reinforced patrols in the airport, the French Embassy and some shopping centers at that time. Endit