In a significant ruling, a Brussels court delivered convictions for French citizen Salah Abdeslam and Belgian-Moroccan Mohamed Abrini for their roles in the 2016 bombings in the Belgian capital, which resulted in the deaths of 32 people.
This judgement comes after the largest-ever criminal trial in Belgium and adds to the life sentences both Abdeslam and Abrini had already received in France for their involvement in the 2015 Paris massacre.
Alongside them, four others were also found guilty of “murder linked to terrorism” in connection with the devastating attacks on March 22, 2016, at Brussels’ main airport and metro system, which were claimed by the Islamic State group, as reported by AFP.
The trauma and aftermath of the 2016 attacks
The bombings caused widespread devastation, leaving hundreds of travellers and transport staff severely injured.
Even seven years after the attacks, many victims, their families, and rescuers continue to suffer from the trauma inflicted on that day. The trial proceedings aimed to bring justice to those affected and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Salah Abdeslam’s connection to the Paris and Brussels attacks
Salah Abdeslam, now 33 years old, was the lone surviving perpetrator of the infamous 2015 Paris attack that resulted in the deaths of 130 people.
After participating in the Paris attacks, he fled to Brussels and hid in an apartment where members of the local terrorist cell resided. Authorities arrested him a few days before the Brussels attacks took place.
During the trial, Abdeslam denied any involvement in planning the violence, but the jury ultimately rejected his defence.
The role of Mohamed Abrini and others in the attacks
Mohamed Abrini faced charges for being part of the team of suicide bombers who targeted Brussels’ airport and a metro station.
During the trial, Abrini claimed that he had decided at the last minute not to carry out the suicide bombing at the airport, a statement corroborated by another defendant, Osama Krayem, a Swedish national of Syrian descent.
The court also found Krayem guilty of murder, along with defendants Ali El Haddad Asufi and Bilal El Makhoukhi.
The court handed down life sentences to those found guilty of murder in Belgium. However, sentencing was deferred until after the summer recess, scheduled to end in September.
While Salah Abdeslam and Mohamed Abrini were convicted of murder, two other suspects, Tunisian Sofien Ayari and Rwandan Herve Bayingana Muhirwa, were acquitted of murder charges but found guilty of participating in a terrorist group. Smail and Ibrahim Farisi, two brothers, were acquitted of the charges they faced.
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The trial, which commenced at the end of the previous year, took place under strict security at the converted former headquarters of the NATO military alliance in Brussels.
The proceedings sought to ensure a fair trial while maintaining utmost safety and protection.
The verdicts against key suspects Salah Abdeslam and Mohamed Abrini mark a significant step towards justice for the victims and their families affected by the 2016 Brussels attacks.
The trial serves as a reminder of the importance of holding individuals responsible for acts of terrorism and providing closure to those impacted by such heinous acts.
(With inputs from agencies)
