Gunfire at Clemenceau station in Anderlecht: up to 16 years sought against three suspects
Three suspects appeared before Brussels correctional court on Friday for gunfire from a war weapon that occurred at Clemenceau Place on 5 February 2025. Sentences of up to 16 years of imprisonment have been sought.
AK47 and M4 gunfire at Clemenceau Place: prosecution seeks up to 16 years imprisonment
On 5 February 2025, at first light, two hooded individuals emerged from Clemenceau metro station in Anderlecht and opened fire on the square of the same name using an AK47 and an M4. As reported by DHnet, 23 cartridge cases were found at the scene. One bullet lodged itself in a girl's bedroom, another ricocheted off a children's play area.
On Friday, three suspects were summoned to appear before the 47th chamber of Brussels correctional court. The King's prosecutor's substitute described the scene as a "war scene" on a square which he characterised as "commandeered from residents by drug dealers". The images circulated throughout Belgium. Nearly one hundred shootings were recorded in the Brussels region during that same year.
The three defendants
Yasser A., 21, identified as the shooter in the grey puffer jacket, did not appear on Friday. His motive, according to the prosecution, is explained in one of his own police interviews: "People from Peterbos had taken the square, I am in charge of the dealing point, I had to get it back."
Zakaria Y., 21, wore a black puffer jacket. His weapon jammed during the incident. Placed under electronic surveillance after his arrest, he removed his bracelet exactly one year after the shooting. "I just needed a bit of air," he told the three judges. He was intercepted on 10 April following. He arrived at the hearing in handcuffs and admitted wanting to shoot at dealers on the square, without elaborating further on his motive.
Mohamed M., a Pakistani national aged 73, is appearing for having served as a "gun babysitter" following the incident. He contests this role.
Submissions and pleas
The prosecution sought 16 years of imprisonment against Yasser A. and 14 years against Zakaria Y., both charged with attempted murder. Five years of imprisonment, possibly with a suspended sentence, were sought against Mohamed M.
Zakaria Y.'s lawyer, Nicolas Crutzen, recalled that his client did not fire that morning, arguing that he himself had rendered the weapon inoperable before carrying out the act. He pleads for a reduced sentence.
Mohamed M.'s lawyer, Céline Delfosse, supported her client's version: the two young men would have forced him to keep the bag containing the weapons. She requested a community service sentence.
In his final statement, Zakaria Y. declared: "I am still young, I deserve a second chance even though I made a big mistake."
A context of recurring violence
The standing magistrate sought to place the facts within a broader context: "One day in three, there is a shooting in Brussels, it is becoming almost routine but I will never get used to it, I cannot accept war weapons being fired in our streets." The Clemenceau Place shooting was the first of a long series recorded in 2025 in the streets of the capital.
The judgment will be delivered on 3 July next.
Source: DHnet