Bank robbery at Euro Parliament

ING said it was seeking more information on what happened

An apparently armed man robbed a bank inside the European Parliament building in Brussels on Thursday, after evading the institution's security personnel.

Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch Guillot said the man had shown what appeared to be a gun to staff at the ING bank and demanded money, which was handed over.

After the robber fled, staff alerted a nearby security patrol. However, he had still not been found by Thursday night.

Some MEPs and their staff were locked in their offices during the search.

Security staff then checked people's bags as they left the building.

Mr Guillot said that if the weapon had been real, it "would pose questions" about security at the EU complex, "notably to know what badge he used to get in".

However, he noted that the sprawling complex, which occupies several blocks in central Brussels, was visited by 15,000 people a day, making it difficult to maintain foolproof security at all times.

"One hundred percent security never exists but this is a public and a very open parliament and we prefer to still to be a very open parliament," he said.