NEWS

Indy expat in Brussels: 'It's scary'

Will Higgins, Chelsea Schneider, John Tuohy, and Meghan Holden
IndyStar
Police secure the metro station Maelbeek in Brussels on Tuesday.

Hundreds of Eli Lilly & Co. employees who work in Brussels were safe and accounted for Tuesday, but at least one was unnerved following the terrorist attacks Tuesday in the Belgian capital that killed dozens and injured more than 100 others.

Emily Elling, who lives in Brussels with her husband, a Lilly engineer, and their four children, said she knows a lot of American expatriates who live and work in Brussels for American companies. She was particularly alarmed that one of the explosions was at the airport.

"All these people travel for work," she said. "They are at the airport all the time."

Brussels terror attacks: What we know now

Sounding shaken over an on-and-off cellphone line, she said, "It is scary, and I'm just so sad for the Belgian people."

Elling's children were at school, and her husband, Michael, was at his office when the attacks occurred. They stayed where they were and  were expecting a long, traffic-clogged trip  home, because all public transportation was suspended.

Ed Sagebiel, a senior communications director for Eli Lilly & Co., said the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company's 275-some workers stationed in Brussels are safe.

"There is no known threat to Lilly sites in Belgium," he said. He said the company has protocols for "any sort of emergency or crisis events."

The Ellings, who had lived in Indianapolis for 12 years, have been in Brussels for 18 months. They are about halfway through a three-year posting. She said the family lives on the outskirts of the city and she still feels safe there.

"And I feel my children at school are safe," she added. "But would I feel safe to go into the city right now? Not really. I wish I was home today."

ISIL claims responsibility for Brussels attack that killed dozens

'A little bit on edge'

A Purdue University student studying abroad in Brussels was reported safe.

The student, whom the university did not name, was advised Tuesday by the Council on International Educational Exchange staff in Brussels and the Belgium government to stay inside and out of the way of emergency responders, Purdue spokesman Brian Zink said in an email.

A separate group of 24 Purdue students and two faculty members that were part of a spring break study abroad program in Belgium missed the airport bombings by about a day and a half, said Ambarish Lulay, a Purdue department chef and instructor who was on the trip.

“We are very glad and relieved, and at the same time it’s not a good feeling to know this happened to people on their way to work or on their way out," Lulay said.

The trip was part of a cuisine and culture class where hospitality and tourism management students learn about Belgium and Luxembourg's food and drinks by visiting breweries, wineries and food production facilities. The group was in Brussels on Friday and Saturday and flew out Sunday, Lulay said.

On Friday, Salah Abdeslam, the  primary fugitive from November's Paris terror attack, and two other suspects were arrested during a raid in a Brussels suburb. The city had increased security measures and closed off several streets while the Purdue group was there, Lulay said.

“We were definitely a little bit on edge, but as professors, we didn’t want to pass on our concerns to the students,” he said.

Although everyone  arrived in Indiana safely, Lulay said he was shaken when he heard about the attacks Tuesday morning.

"It’s quite frightening to see this happen to a wonderful, beautiful, hospitable country that has welcomed us for a week,” he said.

The worries of studying abroad

The Institute for Study Abroad, which is affiliated with Butler University but works with colleges across the country, has not seen a decline in students studying abroad because of recent terrorist attacks.

“Our programs abroad are in very stable locations, and even the recent events in Paris and Brussels haven’t affected our enrollments for the upcoming terms,” said Kathy Walden, an institute spokeswoman. “We do emphasize to our students in all countries the importance of being aware of their surroundings abroad, to avoid political demonstrations and to listen to public officials in the event of any kind of emergency.”

Walden said the institute does not have any programs in Belgium.

On watch

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the Transportation Security Administration was deploying additional personnel to major airports and rail and transit stations across the country, but Tuesday was mostly business as usual in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis International Airport spokeswoman Angela Cain said in an email, “There are no reports from TSA here on any changes in security.”

DHS did not respond to an email about any specific precautions at the Indianapolis airport.

At Union Station in Indianapolis, where Greyhound buses and two Amtrak trains a day stop, no police were stationed at 11 a.m.

DHS Director Jeh Johnson said his agency had been sharing information about the Belgium attacks with state and local law enforcement and the FBI. “We are also in regular communication with organizations representing the private sector to share with them what we know,” he said in a statement.

Business ties to Brussels

Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union, is an important business and government hub, and many international businesses have a presence there. Indianapolis-based Dow AgroSciences has 10 workers.

They are OK, said Kenda Resler Friend, a DowAgroSciences spokeswoman.

"We have protocols in place, and we got quick confirmation," she said. "Safety is absolutely our No. 1 priority."

Cummins has two business sites on Brussels’ outskirts, and neither operation was disrupted by the explosions. The Columbus-based engine manufacturer confirmed its 600 employees and their families are safe.

The company has placed travel restrictions on its workers,  limiting arrivals and departures to “mission critical.”

“Our global security people are monitoring the situation closely,” said Jon Mills, a Cummins spokesman. “Our aim is to make sure all our people are safe.”

Bloomington-based medical device-maker Cook Medical has 30 employees in Brussels, most in sales and working out of their homes. All are safe, company spokeswoman Moriah Sowders said.

“We’re really grateful everyone is safe,” she said, “and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those affected.”

Swarens: Terror in Brussels, and a call to love

Pence notes a dangerous world

“This is a time for condolences. We express those sincerely to the people of Brussels in this horrific attack,” Gov. Mike Pence said. “But it’s also a time where we need to remember this is a time for vigilance and seriousness about threats that not only our allies but the people of this country have to live with in the world today.”

Muslim group condemns attacks

“This is a tragic loss of human life,” said Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah, senior vice president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. “The Quran teaches us to save lives, not take them away. It is essential more than ever to unite as Americans and global citizens.”

A news release further states that the attacks “are happening due to the extremists’ ignorance of Islam and inconsistency in Muslim leadership” and that the group has launched a nationwide campaign called True Islam “to address this ignorance and combat extremism.”

Thinking of Brussels

Marianne Cardwell, Carmel, who grew up in Brussels and has friends there, stayed home from work Tuesday, because she knew she would be preoccupied with events from her hometown. She  quickly discovered that her friends were not injured in the bombings, but she still felt she needed information urgently.

“I remember when the Paris attacks happened," she said. "I had a hard time focusing … .”

She has been watching Belgian TV news streamed live on her computer.

Contact IndyStar reporter Will Higgins at (317) 444-6043. Follow him on Twitter @WillRHiggins.

31 dead, scores hurt in Brussels terror strikes

Facebook activates safety check after Brussels attack