Lawyers George Henri Beauthier,second right,and William Bourdon,right,representing the National Council of Resistance of Iran,speak with the media as they arrive at the courthouse in Antwerp,Belgium.Credit:AP
Prosecutors alleged Assadi was directed to carry out the attack by Iran’s intelligence ministry. He smuggled half a kilogram of explosives and a detonator by air from Tehran to Vienna to give to his co-conspirators,who then drove to Belgium to hand them over to Nassimeh Naami,36,and Amir Saadouni,40.
The explosives were discovered in their car when they were stopped and arrested in Brussels in a joint operation involving Belgian,French and German security services.
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Assadi was arrested in Germany,where police said his diplomatic immunity did not apply. All the men were charged,along with another co-conspirator,Mehrdad Arefani,57.
The defendants denied planning to commit the attack with intent to kill large numbers at the rally staged by the National Council of Resistance of Iran,and attended by an estimated 25,000 people,including a delegation of 35 Britons.
After the verdict,Blackman called on Western governments to consider severing diplomatic ties with Iran.