Difference between revisions of "Jürgen Conings"
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==Disappearance and Manhunt== | ==Disappearance and Manhunt== | ||
| − | On May 17, [[2021]], Conings went missing from his barracks in Leopoldsburg, Belgium, allegedly taking with him various [[weapons]], including an FN P90 submachine gun and M72 LAW [[rocket launchers]]. He had reportedly expressed [[extremist]] and violent views online, including threats against virologist [[Marc Van Ranst]], who had advised the Belgian government on its [[COVID-19/Lockdown|COVID-19 response]]. | + | On May 17, [[2021]], Conings went missing from his barracks in Leopoldsburg, Belgium, allegedly taking with him various [[weapons]], including an FN P90 submachine gun and M72 LAW [[rocket launchers]]. He had reportedly expressed [[extremist]] and violent views online, including threats against virologist [[Marc Van Ranst]], who had advised the Belgian government on its [[COVID-19/Lockdown|COVID-19 response]].Conings' disappearance sparked a massive manhunt, with over 400 soldiers and police officers from Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany searching for him. The Belgian government also raised the national [[terror]] threat level to its highest point, citing the danger posed by Conings. The manhunt lasted for over a month and covered a large area of Limburg province, including forests, fields, and residential neighborhoods.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20230512120644/https://www.brusselstimes.com/170779/far-right-terrorist-manhunt-marc-van-ranst-ludivine-dedonder-alexander-de-croo-the-hunt-for-jurgen-conings-a-timeline</ref> On June 20, 2021, Conings' body was found in the national park [[Hoge Kempen]], near the [[Dutch]] border. He had allegedly taken his own life using a [[firearm]]. The narrative about who first discovered the body shifted regarding the mayor of Maaseik and a local hunter.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20230512113724/https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/de/2021/09/04/jaeger-der-juergen-conings-fand-soll-versucht-haben-maschinen/</ref> |
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| − | Conings' disappearance sparked a massive manhunt, with over 400 | ||
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| − | On June 20, 2021, Conings' body was found | ||
==Controversy and Political Fallout== | ==Controversy and Political Fallout== | ||
| − | Conings' disappearance and subsequent manhunt sparked controversy and political fallout in Belgium. Many criticized the Belgian government for not taking Conings' extremist views seriously enough and for failing to prevent him from accessing weapons. Some also accused the government of using the manhunt as a distraction from other issues, including its handling of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. | + | Conings’ aunt told local media she believed security forces had killed her nephew. “He wouldn’t commit suicide,” she said. “He was killed.”<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20230513013647/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/21/belgian-minister-urges-public-to-ignore-conspiracy-theories-over-soldiers-death-jurgen-conings</ref> |
| − | + | Conings' disappearance and subsequent manhunt sparked controversy and political fallout in Belgium. Many criticized the Belgian government for not taking Conings' extremist views seriously enough and for failing to prevent him from accessing weapons. Some also accused the government of using the manhunt as a distraction from other issues, including its handling of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. Others criticized the media for sensationalizing the manhunt and contributing to the glorification of Conings as a martyr for the "[[far-right]]". The incident also reignited debates about extremism and [[radicalization]] in the Belgian Armed Forces and raised questions about the military's screening procedures for its personnel.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20230207154512/https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-jurgen-conings-manhunt-culture-war/</ref> <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20230513015709/https://odysee.com/@thomasgast:5/post-j%C3%BCrgen-conings-%C3%A4ra-und-jetzt:0</ref> <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20230513020307/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCnxufirOlA&t=311s</ref> | |
| − | Others criticized the media for sensationalizing the manhunt and contributing to the glorification of Conings as a martyr for the "[[far-right]]". The incident also reignited debates about extremism and [[radicalization]] in the Belgian Armed Forces and raised questions about the military's screening procedures for its personnel. | ||
Revision as of 02:01, 13 May 2023
 Jürgen Conings    (Soldier) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 28 September 1974 |
| Died | May 2021 (Age 46) Hoge Kempen National Park, Belgium |
Cause of death | suicide? |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Interests | Marc Van Ranst |
Belgian soldier who threatened the Covid narrative and establishment in his country physically. | |
Jürgen Conings was a Belgian soldier who gained notoriety in May 2021 for his disappearance and subsequent manhunt by Belgian authorities. Conings was an experienced sniper and had been employed by the Belgian Armed Forces for over 20 years.
Background
Conings was born on March 6, 1974, in Dilsen-Stokkem, a municipality in the Belgian province of Limburg. He joined the Belgian Armed Forces in 1992 and trained as a paratrooper. He later became a sniper and was deployed on several missions, including in Afghanistan.
Disappearance and Manhunt
On May 17, 2021, Conings went missing from his barracks in Leopoldsburg, Belgium, allegedly taking with him various weapons, including an FN P90 submachine gun and M72 LAW rocket launchers. He had reportedly expressed extremist and violent views online, including threats against virologist Marc Van Ranst, who had advised the Belgian government on its COVID-19 response.Conings' disappearance sparked a massive manhunt, with over 400 soldiers and police officers from Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany searching for him. The Belgian government also raised the national terror threat level to its highest point, citing the danger posed by Conings. The manhunt lasted for over a month and covered a large area of Limburg province, including forests, fields, and residential neighborhoods.[1] On June 20, 2021, Conings' body was found in the national park Hoge Kempen, near the Dutch border. He had allegedly taken his own life using a firearm. The narrative about who first discovered the body shifted regarding the mayor of Maaseik and a local hunter.[2]
Controversy and Political Fallout
Conings’ aunt told local media she believed security forces had killed her nephew. “He wouldn’t commit suicide,” she said. “He was killed.”[3] Conings' disappearance and subsequent manhunt sparked controversy and political fallout in Belgium. Many criticized the Belgian government for not taking Conings' extremist views seriously enough and for failing to prevent him from accessing weapons. Some also accused the government of using the manhunt as a distraction from other issues, including its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Others criticized the media for sensationalizing the manhunt and contributing to the glorification of Conings as a martyr for the "far-right". The incident also reignited debates about extremism and radicalization in the Belgian Armed Forces and raised questions about the military's screening procedures for its personnel.[4] [5] [6]
References
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230512120644/https://www.brusselstimes.com/170779/far-right-terrorist-manhunt-marc-van-ranst-ludivine-dedonder-alexander-de-croo-the-hunt-for-jurgen-conings-a-timeline
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230512113724/https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/de/2021/09/04/jaeger-der-juergen-conings-fand-soll-versucht-haben-maschinen/
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230513013647/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/21/belgian-minister-urges-public-to-ignore-conspiracy-theories-over-soldiers-death-jurgen-conings
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230207154512/https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-jurgen-conings-manhunt-culture-war/
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230513015709/https://odysee.com/@thomasgast:5/post-j%C3%BCrgen-conings-%C3%A4ra-und-jetzt:0
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230513020307/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCnxufirOlA&t=311s
