A Belgian-Rwandan, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Brussels bombing case, has served his sentence and is now free.
A Belgian-Rwandan, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Brussels bombing case, has served his sentence and is now free.
The attacks of March 22, 2016, in Brussels were three suicide bombings: two at Brussels Airport in Zaventem, and the third in Brussels, on a metro train at Maelbeek station, in the European Quarter. The final toll (as of March 2026) stands at 39 dead (including 3 terrorists) and 340 injured.
These attacks, claimed by the terrorist organization Islamic State, are the deadliest ever carried out in Belgium up to that time. The brothers Ibrahim and Khalid El Bakraoui, from the municipality of Schaerbeek and close to Salah Abdeslam, were two of the perpetrators: the first blew himself up at Brussels Airport, and the second at Maelbeek metro station. Najim Laachraoui, also from Schaerbeek, who appears to have played a significant role in organizing the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015, under the false name Soufiane Kayal, was identified as the other suicide bomber who detonated himself in the departures hall of Brussels Airport.
Mohamed Abrini, also involved in the Paris attacks, was identified as the “man in the hat,” the third terrorist at Brussels Airport who fled and was eventually arrested on April 8 in Anderlecht. The investigation showed that the same Franco-Belgian Islamist terrorist cell, initially formed around Abdelhamid Abaaoud, planned, coordinated, and carried out both the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015, and the Brussels attacks of March 22, 2016. The trial opened on November 30, 2022, and concluded on September 15, 2023.
Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa, a Belgian of Rwandan nationality, was among the accused terrorists. He participated in the activities of a terrorist group. Before and after the attacks of March 22, 2016, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa sheltered terrorists Mohammed Abrini and Osama Krayem and provided them with logistical support. These two members of the terrorist cell were preparing to carry out suicide bombings at Brussels Airport–Zaventem and Maelbeek metro station.
Arrested on April 7, 2016, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa admitted to the facts and expressed his apologies. Sentenced to ten years in prison during the trial for the attacks, he has now served his sentence and has been released.
He has now fully served his sentence. After ten years behind bars, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa was released from prison this Monday, according to RTBF and the Flemish channel VTM. He is one of the faces associated with the Brussels attacks of March 22, 2016, which left a heavy toll: 36 dead (plus three terrorists) and 340 injured.
The Belgian-Rwandan had been imprisoned for participating in the activities of a terrorist group. Aged 40, he wishes to remain discreet and reintegrate into society. His lawyer, Vincent Lurquin, tells us:
“He was wrong to shelter these two individuals; he is aware of this and is now trying to make amends by reaching out to the victims.”
During his final statement before the conclusion of the debates at the trial for the attacks, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa declared:
“To be connected, directly or indirectly, to March 22, 2016, leaves a mark on your entire life. It will never be behind me…” “All I wish is to engage in reparative actions, even if we cannot undo what happened that day. I will try, in my own way, to do something better.”
Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa: Who Is He and Who Are His Terrorist Associates?
Born on May 5, 1985, in Kigali, Rwanda, Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa lived for a long time as an ordinary man until his name became central to one of the most significant terrorist cases in Europe: the Brussels attacks of March 22, 2016.
Coming from a Catholic family, his childhood was marked by the violence his country experienced. After his father’s death in the early 1990s, his family fled Rwanda to seek refuge in Uganda before moving to Belgium around 1998. He grew up there, obtained Belgian nationality in 2001, and gradually integrated into society.
He pursued studies, notably in accounting, and worked for the Red Cross in a center for asylum seekers. With no criminal record, he led a relatively stable life, away from any form of delinquency.
In 2011, he converted to Islam. Over the years, his social circle and interests evolved. From 2014 onward, he showed increasing interest in the conflict in Syria and associated with individuals linked to radicalized circles.
During his interrogation, the president of the assize court, Laurence Massart, asked him: “Why are you in this dock when you have an accounting degree and had a job at the Red Cross?” He replied: “It’s circumstances, encounters.”
In 2006, he met Bilal El Makhoukhi, another member of the terrorist cell, who was later sentenced to life imprisonment for the Brussels attacks. Immediately after the shooting on Dries Street, which caused panic within the terrorist cell, Bilal El Makhoukhi asked his friend Hervé to shelter Mohamed Abrini and Osama Krayem, who were slated to detonate their bombs at the airport and in the metro.
When they entered his home, he did not know them and was unaware of their plans, but he hosted them at a friend’s request. He eventually realized who they were but still agreed to buy them clothing. Hervé Bayingana Muhirwa was ultimately arrested on April 7, 2016, alongside Osama Krayem.
Professor Hakizimana Maurice is a professional teacher holding a Master Meef in Education from Université Catholique de Paris and a degree in Humanities from Sorbonne Université. He also holds a professional certification in tourism and management awarded by the French Ministry of Labour and Solidarity (Paris Region). He is a teacher and staff member at the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris.
Professor Hakizimana Maurice is the author of the book “UTABA AMATEKA NTABONA ITAKA” (Editions Scribes). To obtain a copy: m.hakizimana@isfec-idf.net
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