Brussels court to rule on damages in terror attack trial
The Brussels Court of Assizes will rule on the damages awarded to the victims of the terrorist attacks of 22 March 2016 in Brussels and Zaventem on Thursday. The judgment marks the end of a long legal process.
The sentencing part of the trial began on 5 December 2022 and ended on 15 September 2023, when the Court of Assizes handed down the sentence to the men behind the attacks. In April, the debate on civil interests began. There were 1,216 civil parties in the case.
The eight convicts are not in a position to pay the damages awarded to them immediately or in full, but the verdict will have symbolic value for the victims.
Inhumane procedures
During the trial, many victims denounced the bureaucratic and inhumane procedures they had to go through to obtain victim status. V-Europe, an organisation for victims of terrorism, is calling for the creation of a public guarantee fund to ease the coordination of such procedures.
The attacks eight years ago left 35 people dead, including three of the perpetrators, and hundreds injured in two explosions at Brussels airport and Maelbeek metro station in the European district of Brussels. Eight of the 10 defendants were convicted, six of them for murder and attempted murder in a terrorist context and for participating in the activities of a terrorist group. Two were found guilty only of membership of a terrorist group.
The verdict had been expected on 24 September, but had to be postponed due to a shortage of court officials.
A victim wears a sweater with protest text during the trial in September © BELGA PHOTO POOL DIDIER LEBRUN
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