2016 Brussels bombings

== Trial ==
In December 2022, ten men went on trial in Brussels for their involvement in the bombings. Oussama Atar, thought to have been killed in Syria, was tried in absentia. The nine accused who appeared in court were Mohamed Abrini, Osama Krayem, Salah Abdeslam, Sofien Ayari, Bilal El Makhoukhi, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa, Ali El Haddad Asufi, Smail Farisi and Ibrahim Farisi. All except Ibrahim Farisi were charged with belonging to a terrorist group and terrorist-related murder and attempted murder. Ibrahim Farisi was charged only with belonging to a terrorist group. Six of the accused (Abrini, Krayem, Abdeslam, Ayari, El Haddad Asufi and Atar) had already been convicted in the [[Paris attacks trial]]. The Farisi brothers were on bail, while the others were all detained. The trial took place with a jury before presiding judge Laurence Massart in the Justitia building (the former headquarters of [[NATO]]) in [[Evere]], Brussels.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://bx1.be/dossiers/attentats-de-bruxelles/proces-des-attentats-de-bruxelles-tout-ce-quil-faut-savoir-pour-suivre-les-audiences/|title=Procès des attentats de Bruxelles : tout ce qu'il faut savoir pour suivre les audiences|work=bx1|date=5 December 2022|access-date=13 December 2022|archive-date=13 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213123945/https://bx1.be/dossiers/attentats-de-bruxelles/proces-des-attentats-de-bruxelles-tout-ce-quil-faut-savoir-pour-suivre-les-audiences/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The trial was scheduled to start in October 2022 but was delayed as the defence lawyers objected to the design of the box, which then had to be rebuilt.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211209-trial-over-2016-brussels-bombings-to-open-in-october-2022|title=Trial over 2016 Brussels bombings to open in October 2022|date=9 December 2021|work=France 24|access-date=29 May 2023|archive-date=9 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209152507/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211209-trial-over-2016-brussels-bombings-to-open-in-october-2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63834777|title=Brussels attacks: Trial begins over 2016 attacks that killed 32|work=BBC News|date=5 December 2022|access-date=19 January 2023|archive-date=19 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119100915/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63834777|url-status=live}}</ref> In December and January there were interruptions to the trial as the defendants objected to being strip-searched before their transfer from prison to the courtroom.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64174161|title=Brussels bombings trial held up by suspects' boycott|work=BBC News|date=5 January 2023|access-date=19 January 2023|archive-date=19 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119100855/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64174161|url-status=live}}</ref>

The verdicts were announced on 25 July 2023 after the jury had deliberated for eighteen days. Six of the accused, Atar, Abrini, Abdeslam, El Haddad Asufi, El Makhoukhi and Krayem were found guilty of terrorist-related murder and attempted murder. Ayari and Muhirwa were convicted of terrorist activities but cleared of murder and attempted murder while the Farisi brothers were cleared of all charges against them.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66299186|title=Brussels bombers found guilty after long murder trial|date=25 July 2023|work=BBC News}}</ref> 

After the verdicts, the court took a summer break. The jury and three judges then deliberated for five days over sentences, which were announced on 15 September 2023. Krayem, El Makhoukhi and Atar received life sentences. Abrini was sentenced to 30 years, El Haddad Asufi to 20 years, and Muhirwa to 10 years. Abrini and Ayari did not receive sentences, as the court considered that the 20-year sentences they had been given in 2018 for the [[2016 Brussels police raids|Forest shootout]], were sufficient.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eight men sentenced over 2016 Brussels bombings, ending Belgium's largest-ever criminal trial |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/16/eight-men-sentenced-over-2016-brussels-bombings-ending-belgiums-largest-ever-criminal-trial |work=The Guardian |date=16 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rtl.be/actu/belgique/justice/un-verdict-parfois-etonnant-voici-en-detail-les-peines-prononcees-contre-les/2023-09-15/article/588366|title="Un verdict parfois étonnant": voici en détail les peines prononcées contre les huit coupables des attentats de Bruxelles|date=15 September 2023|work=RTL|language=fr}}</ref>