2016 Brussels Extremist Attack Verdict: 6 Convicted for Terrorism, Link to Islamic State Established

2016 Brussels Extremist Attack Trial

The trial of the 2016 Brussels extremist attacks, which began in December and became the largest in Belgium’s judicial history, aimed to bring closure and healing to the survivors and families of the victims.

Deliberations began in early July and involved the examination of around 300 questions the court had presented to the jury.

According to Courthouse News Service, these 2016 Brussels extremist attacks resulted in the loss of 32 lives, making it the deadliest peacetime violence in Belgium’s history and part of a larger wave of terror incidents in Europe linked to the Islamic State group.

The 2016 Brussels extremist attacks resulted in not only 32 fatalities but also left hundreds wounded and many others suffering from severe mental trauma.

As the chief judge read out the names of the victims of the 2016 Brussels extremist attacks before announcing the jury’s decisions, the courtroom was filled with emotions.

Survivors, who gathered at a special courthouse designed for this unprecedented trial, anxiously awaited the verdict. Those affected had hoped that the proceedings would help them cope with the trauma they endured on that fateful day in 2016.

The 2016 Brussels extremist attacks verdict was closely followed by Belgian media, including public broadcaster RTBF, newspaper Le Soir, and news websites HLN and Nieuwsblad, providing updates on the trial proceedings to the public.

READ ALSO: “Forever Chemicals” Found In Water; Contaminated Fishes In Most U.S. States

According to Indian Express, among the convicted perpetrators of the 2016 Brussels extremist attacks was Salah Abdeslam, who was already serving a life sentence in France for his involvement in the 2015 Paris attacks that targeted cafes, the Bataclan Theater, and France’s national stadium.

Both the Paris and Brussels attacks were linked to the same Islamic State network, underscoring the global reach and coordination of extremist groups.

In total, ten defendants were on trial and while two brothers were acquitted of all charges, the other eight were found guilty of participating in the activities of a terrorist group, with six of them also being convicted of terrorist murder.

Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the Islamic State cell responsible for the Paris attacks, was captured in Brussels on March 18, 2016, after months on the run. His arrest may have prompted other members of the terrorist group to accelerate their attack plans in Brussels.

Another individual convicted of terrorist murder was Mohamed Abrini, a childhood friend of Abdeslam and a native of Brussels. Abrini’s explosives failed to detonate at Zaventem Airport, allowing him to escape before he was apprehended.

Oussama Atar, who was identified as a potential organizer of both the Paris and Brussels attacks, was also convicted of terrorist murder in absentia. He is believed to have died during the final months of fighting in Iraq and Syria while aligned with the Islamic State group.

Sentencing will be determined in a separate process and is expected to occur after September.

The jury made a clear connection between the 2016 Brussels extremist attacks and the extremist ideology of the Islamic State, highlighting the intent of the attackers to intimidate Belgian society. The jury also concluded that the attacks were carried out with homicidal intention and premeditation.

As the trial of the 2016 Brussels extremist attacks comes to an end, the survivors and families of the victims hope that the verdict will bring global recognition and justice to the victims.

READ ALSO: 2-Year-Old Died From Brain-Eating Amoeba After A Visit To A Nevada Hot Spring!