Experts speak about explosions in Brussels: ‘There is an analogy with 11 September…’

Key version: ISIS

Aleksander Shatilov, dean of the Faculty of Sociology and Politology of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation:

'ISIS is the key version, of course. Moreover, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for this attack. On the other hand, we should not trust the international terrorist organisation, they are ready to be responsible for any attacks. But everything proves it, especially if we take into account the fact that one of the leaders of ISIS in Europe was recently arrested – it is a person who was accused of being implicated in the Paris attacks. This is why it is the key version.

Another version is a conspiracy theory. The Islamic State appeared very easily, it was supplied with weapon, money and international support. This fact should be taken into account. A certain part of the experts state that USA creates fake organizations like Taliban, al-Qaeda or ISIS, so that the US properly uses these fake bodies against their opponents.

Nowadays America is holding very uneasy negotiations with the Europeans concerning Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which presupposes a factual control of USA over European business assets and the European economy in general. The Europeans are opposing it now. I don't exclude that the migration factor and terrorist factor might be somehow used to make the Europeans more docile. Paying attention to Edward Snowden's exposure and details, which are being revealed in recent time on principle 'Nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest', it is not reasonable to refuse a sound conspiracy.

A serious question on migration South Stream will arise now. Attacks question the agreements with Turkey on migration, provoke a public dissatisfaction in the EU countries, which is also fraught with the growth of popularity of nationalistic parties and movements and Eurosceptics.

Recent elections in Germany demonstrated that this kind of organization like Alternative for Germany entered the European politics in triumph. A couple of attacks are enough to make their ratings go through the roof. The Europeans also face a problem, they should reply adequately. But, on the other hand, European elites had a principle of false tolerance, it is extremely difficult for them to refuse the migrants and the help to the refugees. It is more difficult to filter the refugees and detect ISIS agents. Here the Europeans don't want to join the position of the police of a state. So, there is no way out. Europe, undoubtedly, is trying to react making an attempt to clean up the extremist underworld or additionally striking ISIS in Iraq. But the problem is rather strategic than tactical.

Igor Korotchenko, senior editor National Defence magazine, a member of the Public Council of the Russian Defense Ministry, director of the Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade:

'ISIS masterminded everything. It planned and executed this terrorist operation. It is obvious that the whole Europe is in the zone of risk. Underworld networks of ISIS are active on the whole territory of the EU. For this reason, the threat of new terrorist attacks is more than possible. First of all, Europe is in danger.'

Version No.2: western ruling elites

Maksim Shevchenko, a famous journalist, expert on the Near East:

'It's an absolutely politically pointless terrorist attack. I don't know why Brussels metro was exploded that a great number of Muslims and people who came from Third World countries use. This is why I think that these attacks are extremely suspicious. In the city of Brussels, there is a mass of buildings for political attack. And unknown terrorists attack completely innocent civilians, including Muslims and mainly immigrants for an unknown reason.

For this reason, I find these attacks very mysterious. I suppose it is a variant of a new Gleiwitz to allow Europe incur the territory of the Near East. There is no doubt that ISIS claimed responsibility. Who else? Did their press secretary of ISIS give a press conference in the ISIS press centre and did he claim responsibility? Somebody wrote something on a site on the Internet. Anybody can write, even we can write that 'Mars is attacking' or 'ISIS is attacking'. It is approximately the same thing.

There is an analogy with 11 September. For Europe, it is, indubitably, was planned and provoked by the ruling elites with the intention of giving an opportunity to the Europeans to start an expansion to the Islamic World and territory of the Near East justified in the EU people's eyes.

Version No.3: conspiracy

Geydar Dzhemal, chairman of the Islamic Committee of Russia:

'All people will use this terrorist attack to their advantage. It works to the advantage of the United States, throws Europe into America's arms. Moscow can use it like: 'You don't want to talk to us, but we need to solve problems of terrorism'. I opine that there will be many beneficiaries, elements that would like to exploit. There is one thing I don't believe: what the Islamic State is? Arabs might be the executors but these Arabs might be a stooge of western special services.

I think a 'deep government' – so-called Operation Gladio – could work here. It is undercover bodies that have remained since the Cold War period and are connected with special services and far-right forces. There were scandals in Italy, Erdogan attacked them because of Ergekenon in Turkey. These are the bodies created for a case of Soviet occupation of Europe, it is a skeleton of the partisan anti-Soviet underworld. They organized terrorist attacks against the lefts, trade unionists, communists in Europe. They are manipulated from Washington. A similar body exists in the United States too. There is an alternative digest of laws of wartime – state of emergency procedure. It is a body coming into effect at the beginning of a war.

This is why I think that here the Islamic State is the No.8. Who have said that they claimed responsibility? We don't hear it from the Islamic State. We know that today the media became an inveterate liar so far. Crucified boys, violated girls – it is all moving in a crowd of information. Show me the episode with the press secretary of the Islamic State who says that, 'Yes, we are who did it'. It sounds unconvincing while Mogherini or some Brussels administrator says it.

We will see how this card is played. The Europeans are not idiots, they also understand that they will be pulled in different directions, played to the advantage of Moscow or Washington. It is natural they will nod saying yes, it is the Islamic State. Meanwhile, they will take measures against possible beneficiaries. Strangely enough, but a convergence of the EU and Turkey might be a paradox.