Brussels attacks affect many Portlanders

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The terror attack in Brussels may have happened 5000 miles from Portland, but it directly affected people here — a member of a mosque, the Belgian consulate in Portland, a woman with family there and a UO student studying in Brussels.

Harris Zafar wants to remind the world that almost the entire Muslim community condemns what happened in Brussels.

“As Muslims our hearts are broken as well about what happened today,” said Zafar, who is with the Rizwan Mosque in Southwest Portland. “What happened in San Bernardino, what happened in Paris, when innocent people are killed our hearts bleed.”

He added, “Anytime we see any act of violence, of course the immediate reaction is just shock.”

Blaming Muslims as a whole, Zafar said, is misguided.

“To blame Muslims and to blame the religion of Islam, you’re entitled to do it but your anger is misdirected.”

Adriane Meeus, whose husband is from Belgium, agrees.

“I don’t know a single Muslim personally that would want this. They’re horrified just as much as we are,” she said.

She said her Facebook page was filled with messages from friends and family. She pleaded for people not to blame and retaliate against Muslims.

“I want my first thought to be about the innocent victims, but it’s like right after that is the, ‘Oh no! How many innocent Muslims are going to be attacked over this?” she said.

She said her husband “called his family and luckily, right now, as far as we know, all of our friends and family are OK.”

But they will continue to closely watch what happens in Belgium.

John Herman is the Belgian consulate in Portland. Since he woke up he’s been in touch with the Belgian Embassy in Washington, DC.

He said he thinks officials have been “very careful to release information only because of the fact that it may not be over.”

“I am really just taken aback by the senselessness of the whole thing. It’s disappointing,” Herman said. “But I was pleased I didn’t lose anybody in my family.”

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the bombings. That kept Jennifer Eyler, a junior at the University of Oregon currently in Brussels, locked in her house. In a Facebook message to KOIN 6 News, Eyler said:

“… As I was returning home, there were a lot sirens and an unusual amount of traffic on the road which I’m assuming was everyone trying to go back home from work or wherever they were. Our program directors informed us that the city was on lockdown and that we should stay at home until further notice. Now I know the lockdown has been lifted and some public transportation has resumed but it’s still a crazy thing to wrap your head around.”