Italy on maximum alert in wake of Brussels terror attacks

(supersedes previous)Rome, March 22 - Italy was on maximum alert Tuesday in the wake of at least two terror attacks in Brussels. Belgian authorities confirmed 13 people died while another 30 were reported wounded in a blast at the capital's national airport, which local media reported was caused by a suicide bomber. Sky news reported at least 10 people were killed in a separate explosion at at the Maalbeek Metro Station in central Brussels near European Union headquarters. All transportation in Brussels has been shut down as the army took to the streets. The Italian interior ministry raised the security level at Italy's airports and Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has summoned the national public safety committee to assess "further measures to combat and prevent the terrorist threat". He also expressed his condolences: "my thoughts go out to the families of the victims and the people affected by this savage attack that has struck at the heart of Europe". Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said "my thoughts go out to the Belgian people and government...our diplomatic infrastructure has been activated to provide maximum assistance to our fellow nationals". The foreign ministry urged Italians in Brussels to "avoid going anywhere at the moment" and said its crisis unit is "active".