2016 Brussels Bombing
 Three Zaventem suspects: two suicide bombers were named as Ibrahim el-Bakraoui (centre) and Najim Laachraoui (right). Third unnamed suspect is on the run. | |
| Date | 2016/03/22 |
|---|---|
| Location | Brussels Airport (Zaventem), Maelbeek metro station, Brussels, Belgium |
| Type | • Suicide attack • mass murder • bomb attack |
| Deaths | 31 |
| Injured (non-fatal) | 230 |
| Subpage | •2016 Brussels Bombing/Media manipulation |
| Description | A terrorist attack in Brussels involving 3 explosions which reportedly killed more than 30 people and injured hundreds more. Responsibility for the attack was immediately attributed to ISIS |
On the morning of 22 March 2016, three explosions occurred in Belgium: two at Brussels main airport in Zaventem and one at Maelbeek metro station in the centre of Brussels, allegedly carried out by suicide bomber Khalid el-Bakraoui.[1]
In these attacks, 31 people were killed and 261 others were injured, resulting in three days of national mourning in Belgium.[2] An assault rifle and a third bomb were found in a search of the airport.
It was the deadliest act of terrorism on Belgian soil and came four months after the Mass murder in Paris.[3]
The Islamic State are said to have claimed responsibility for the attacks.[4] The claims are based on information emanating from social media, which is hardly a reliable source of information. An unknown self-proclaimed "news agency" (Amaq Agency) - claiming to represent ISIS and whose website has no content dated earlier than 4 March 2016, provided the following report:
Brussels – Amaq Agency: Islamic State fighters carried out a series of bombings with explosive belts and devices on Tuesday, targeting an airport and a central metro station in the center of the Belgian capital Brussels, a country participating in the international coalition against the Islamic State.
Islamic State fighters opened fire inside Zaventem Airport, before several of them detonated their explosive belts, as a martyrdom bomber detonated his explosive belt in the Maalbeek metro station. The attacks resulted in more than 230 dead and wounded. [5]
So, who controls the Amaq Agency Site which is hosted on a free account provided by Wordpress? The answer to that question is important because the site appears to be the primary source of subsequent commercially-controlled media claims of ISIS responsibility for the attacks.
External links
- Brussels Bombing: The True Implications of ISIS Links - Tony Cartalucci. Land Destroyer Report 22 March 2016
References
- ↑ "Brussels attacks: el-Bakraoui brothers 'named as suicide bombers'"
- ↑ "Brussels attacks: Latest updates from the BBC"
- ↑ "Brussels attacks: were they revenge for Abdeslam's arrest?"
- ↑ "Brussels attacks: Isis flag and nail bomb found in raid"
- ↑ Bombings Carried out by Islamic State Fighters Hit Belgium’s Capital Brussels - Amaq Agency 22 March 2016
