Local Terror Expert Discusses Brussels Attacks

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- So why Brussels today and what's next?

Alex DeMetrick spoke with a local expert.

Like BWI-Marshall, security has also increased at Penn Station. Meanwhile, terror experts now have a new target to add to their research.

Brussels was hit Tuesday but terrorism is all over the map. For more on the attacks today, click here.

"The interesting thing about terrorism is it doesn't stay in the same place forever," said University of Maryland terror expert Gary Lafree.

In 2001, America became the target of multiple attacks on 9/11. In 2004, trains were attacked in Madrid. In 2005, it was buses and subways in London. Last year, it was Paris.

Targets move, because...

"Eventually we figure out that this level of destructiveness is not sustainable," Lafree said.

Because counter-terrorism increases after an attack, making it more difficult for terrorists to operate.

"We will hit a peak. We will figure it out," Lafree said.

Lafree is a University of Maryland researcher working for homeland security. He doesn't rule out future attacks like the one in San Bernardino.

"I'm more worried about sub-Saharan Africa. Turkey is worrisome right now," he said.

Like a 2004 bombing in Madrid---wherever crowds gather in counties with low counter-terrorism forces.

"I think maybe we're going to be facing the problem for the foreseeable future," he said.

Over the past 50 years, there were terror attacks in western Europe, South America, the US and the Middle East---and now again in western Europe.