“Brussels Terror Trial: Six Guilty of Attacks that Killed 32, Including Salah Abdeslam”

A jury in Belgium has found six individuals guilty of terrorist murder for the extremist attacks in Brussels in 2016. These attacks, claimed by the Islamic State group, resulted in the deaths of 32 people and were Belgium’s deadliest peacetime violence. Among those convicted is Salah Abdeslam, who is already serving a life sentence without parole in France for his role in the 2015 Paris attacks. The verdict, which made a clear connection to IS and its extremist ideology, was read by the chief judge. Sentencing will be determined at a later date. AP reported

A jury has found six people guilty of terrorist murder for the extremist attacks that took place in Brussels in 2016, resulting in the deaths of 32 people. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group and were Belgium’s deadliest peacetime violence. Among those convicted was Salah Abdeslam, who is already serving a life sentence without parole in France for his role in the 2015 attacks in Paris. The verdict was delivered by a 12-person jury who made a clear connection between the attacks and the extremist ideology of IS.

The trial, which lasted for seven months, took place in a special court and was the largest trial in Belgium’s judicial history. The survivors and families of the victims hoped that the trial and verdict would provide them with closure and help them come to terms with what happened. The attacks, which occurred during the morning rush hour, deeply shook the city of Brussels and left nearly 900 others injured or suffering from serious mental trauma.

The 12 jurors deliberated over 300 questions asked by the court before reaching a verdict. The sentencing will be decided in a separate process, which is expected to take place in September. If convicted, some of the defendants could face up to 30 years in prison.

The trial also saw the conviction of Mohamed Abrini, a childhood friend of Abdeslam who walked away from the airport after his explosives failed to detonate. Oussama Atar, who was identified as a possible organizer of the attacks in Paris and Brussels, was convicted in absentia as he is believed to have died during the Islamic State group’s final months of fighting in Iraq and Syria.

For the survivors and families of the victims, the trial was an important step towards justice and closure. They have supported each other throughout the proceedings, with some attending every day. Now, they hope to be able to turn the page and move forward from the atrocities committed on March 22, 2016..

1. Brussels terrorist attacks
2. Extremist attacks in Brussels
3. Islamic State group attacks in Belgium.