2016 Brussels bombings

2016 Brussels bombings

On 22 March 2016, two attacks happened in and near Brussels, Belgium. These attacks were carried out by the Islamic State.

Two bombs were set off at the Brussels Airport in Zaventem. Another bomb went off on a train leaving the Maelbeek/Maalbeek metro station in the city's European Quarter. Many people were hurt, and some sadly lost their lives. Three people who set off the bombs also died.

The people who did this were part of a group that had been involved in earlier attacks in Paris in November 2015. The attacks happened just after police had conducted several searches looking for this group. In response, the Belgian Government announced three days of national mourning.

In December 2022, ten men were put on trial for their part in these attacks. Some were found guilty of serious crimes related to the attacks.

Background

Belgium was involved in military actions against a group called the Islamic State during the War in Iraq. In September 2014, Belgium sent six F-16 planes to help a US-led group.

Belgium had more of its people fighting with these groups compared to other Western European countries. By January 2015, around 440 Belgians had gone to Syria and Iraq. Some believe Belgium's security systems were not strong enough, which may have helped these groups grow.

Before the bombings, Belgium had seen several attacks linked to these groups. In May 2014, a gunman attacked the Jewish Museum of Belgium in Brussels. In January 2015, police stopped a planned attack and two suspects were killed in Verviers. In August 2015, a terrorist shot and injured a passenger on a train from Amsterdam to Paris before being stopped by others.

The November 2015 attacks in Paris were planned from Belgium, and Brussels was closed for five days while police searched for suspects. Just days before the Brussels bombings, one of the Paris attack suspects, Salah Abdeslam, was caught in Brussels. Some believe his arrest may have led to the bombings happening sooner.

Attacks

On March 22, 2016, there were two big attacks in Brussels, Belgium. The attacks were done by a group called the Islamic State.

The first attack happened at Brussels Airport. Two people brought big suitcases with dangerous materials and set them off where people check in for their flights. The second attack happened just over an hour later at a train station called Maelbeek. One person set off a bomb there while the train was leaving the station.

These attacks were very sad and caused many people to be hurt or lose their lives. The city had to close down public transport and cancel some train journeys while they made sure everyone was safe.

Victims

Thirty-two people were killed and many more were hurt in the attacks. Some people died at the airport, and others at the metro station. These were among the worst attacks in Belgium since World War II.

Most of the victims were from Belgium, but people from many other countries were also affected. This included people from the US, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, China, India, and Peru.

A retired diplomat named André Adam, who had worked for Belgium at the United Nations and as Ambassador to the United States, was among those who died.

Perpetrators

See also: Brussels ISIL terror cell

Five people took bombs to the airport and metro station. Three of them died when they set off their bombs. Two others were caught by police later. All five had helped plan earlier attacks in Paris.

The attackers included brothers who were wanted for crimes. After the attacks, police found clues that helped them catch the remaining attackers.

Aftermath

The group behind the attacks said Belgium was targeted because it was working against them.

After the attacks, police searched many places in Belgium and other countries made their security stronger.

Airplanes stopped flying to Brussels Airport for twelve days. When flights started again, there were more security checks. All buses and trains in Brussels stopped for a while. The train station where one of the bombs went off started working again about a month later.

Belgium made its warning about possible attacks very high for a short time. The government used more soldiers to protect important places. Checks were done at borders between Belgium and France. The two nuclear power plants in Belgium were partly emptied as a safety step.

The government announced three days of sadness, and people stood quiet for one minute to honor those who were hurt or lost in the attacks.

Leaders in Brussels from different religions met to support each other and work against extreme ideas.

Reactions

Main article: Reactions to the 2016 Brussels bombings

After the attacks on 22 March 2016, King Philippe spoke to the nation on television. The next day, he and Queen Mathilde visited the airport and some injured people in the hospital.

Many famous buildings around the world were lit up in the colors of the Belgian flag. These included the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the National Gallery in London’s Trafalgar Square, the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, and the Trevi Fountain in Rome. In New York City, the One World Trade Center was lit up, while the Empire State Building’s spire stayed dark.

On social media, the hashtag #JeSuisBruxelles (#IamBrussels) became very popular, along with images of the Belgian comic character Tintin. Other hashtags like #ikwilhelpen (#Iwanttohelp) and #PorteOuverte (#Opendoor) were used by people in Brussels offering help and shelter to those in need. Facebook also turned on its Safety Check feature to help people find out if their loved ones were safe.

2014 murder

It is thought that the El-Bakraoui brothers were involved in a murder in 2014. A man was shot while walking home from a café in the Jette area of Brussels. Later, people told investigators the brothers did this to see what it felt like to take a life. In 2020, the man's widow was told it was almost certain the brothers were to blame, even though the case was closed.

Parliamentary inquiry

On April 14, 2016, Belgium’s government made a special group to learn about the terrorist attacks and why the country’s safety teams couldn’t stop them.

The group looked at how Belgium helped people after the attacks, why some people started to support harmful ideas, and how the safety teams were organized.

The group found some problems. Different parts of the safety teams didn’t work well together. There were also problems sharing important messages between teams in Belgium and other countries. Some teams didn’t have enough money or support to stop harmful activities before they happened. The group suggested that safety teams need to share information better and work together more closely.

Trial

In December 2022, ten men stood in a court in Brussels for their parts in the bombings. One man, Oussama Atar, was tried even though people thought he was in another country. The nine people in court were charged with supporting harmful actions and hurting others. Six of them had already been found responsible for harmful actions in a different court case.

The trial started later than planned because of arguments about where the people would sit in the courtroom. Sometimes the trial stopped because the people did not want to be searched before going to court.

In July 2023, the court made its decisions. Six of the people were found responsible for hurting others. Two others were found responsible for being part of the group but not for hurting anyone. The last two were found not responsible for anything.

Later, the court decided on punishments. Three people received the longest possible punishment, while others received shorter times in a special facility. Two people did not get new punishments because they had already been punished for other harmful actions in the past.

Memorialization

After the attacks, the people of Brussels made memorials to remember those who were lost. In the days after, people gathered at the Place de la Bourse/Beursplein, writing messages and leaving items to show their feelings.

The city of Brussels kept some of these items. In November 2016, a sculpture called the Flame of Hope was placed in Molenbeek to honor the victims. There are also plaques at Brussels Airport and a garden that lists the people who were lost there.

A special monument was unveiled near Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat to remember everyone affected. In a forest, 32 birch trees were planted, each representing a person who was lost, creating a quiet space for reflection. In the metro station where one of the attacks happened, a mural called The Olive Tree was made to remember those who were lost there.