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A jury in Belgium has found six people guilty of terrorist murder for the extremist attacks at the Brussels airport and a subway station in 2016. The attacks, which were linked to the Islamic State group, killed 32 people and caused widespread trauma. Among those convicted was Salah Abdeslam, who is already serving a life sentence in France for his role in the 2015 Paris attacks. The verdict is the result of the biggest trial in Belgium’s history, and sentencing will be decided at a later date. Survivors and families of victims hope the trial will bring closure and healing. AP reported
Six people have been found guilty of terrorist murder in connection with the extremist attacks that took place at the Brussels airport and a subway station in 2016. These attacks resulted in the death of 32 people and marked Belgium’s deadliest peacetime violence. The attacks were part of a wave of terrorist acts in Europe linked to the Islamic State group.
Among those convicted was Salah Abdeslam, who is already serving a life sentence without parole in France for his involvement in the 2015 attacks in Paris. The Paris and Brussels attacks were both connected to the same IS network. The verdict was delivered by a 12-person jury, with the chief judge listing the names of the victims before announcing the decisions.
The trial, which began in December, aimed to provide survivors and families of the victims with closure and help them work through the trauma they experienced. Ten defendants were on trial, with two brothers being acquitted of all charges. The other eight were found guilty of participating in activities of a terrorist group, with six of them also being convicted of terrorist murder.
Sentencing will be determined separately, but not before September. The attacks on the Brussels airport and subway station deeply shook the city and caused significant physical and mental harm to hundreds of people. The jury made a clear connection between the attacks and the Islamic State ideology, emphasizing the attackers’ intention to intimidate Belgian society.
The verdict brings some relief to survivors who have been waiting for justice for seven years. The survivors supported each other throughout the trial and hope to be able to turn the page after the sentencing. Salah Abdeslam, who was the only surviving member of the IS cell involved in the Paris attacks, was captured shortly before the Brussels attacks, which may have prompted the attackers to proceed with their plans.
Overall, the trial represents a step towards justice and serves as a signal to terrorists that democracy will prevail. However, the wounds caused by the attacks will always remain, and the scar will serve as a reminder of the tragedy..
- Brussels terrorist attack
- Islamic State terrorist attacks
- Verdict in Belgium’s biggest trial.
