Family of Woman Killed in Brussels Bomb to Sue Airport

Relatives of deceased Elita Weah said the airport's security measures were not up to the required standard.
A forensics officer works in front of the damaged Zaventem Airport terminal in Brussels. |AP
A forensics officer works in front of the damaged Zaventem Airport terminal in Brussels. |AP

BRUSSELS; THE family of a woman killed in the Brussels bombings has said it will sue the city's airport for failing to protect its passengers from terrorists.

Relatives of Elita Weah, one of 32 people killed in the March 22 attacks, said they blamed the airport for her death, adding that its security measures were "not up to the required standard".

It came as police released new CCTV footage of one of the prime suspects behind the attack, known as "the man in the hat". The images offer the closest look yet at the suspect, who is believed to have left an unexploded bomb at the airport. He is seen wearing a distinctive white jacket which he appears to have removed when he fled.

Prosecutors want anyone who recognises the man or the jacket to come forward, adding: "Should this jacket be found, this might give invaluable information to the investigators."

Rasco Weah, Elita's brother, told the Dutch newspaper NRC: "Many questions remains unanswered.

"Those Belgians killed my sister. I will fight against it."

Ms Weah, a single mother with a 13-year-old daughter, had been on her way to the US to attend a funeral when she died. In the moments before her death, she posed for a photograph in the airport. Family members of the other Dutch victims, a brother and sister from Maastricht, are in touch with Ms Weah's relatives to see if they can submit a joint complaint.

However, Florence Muls, a spokesman for the airport, said that Brussels Airport Company was a private company which is not responsible for security in its "public zones", including the departure hall where the bomb exploded. She said: "This is the sole responsibility of the federal police and government. We are only responsible for operational security."

She added: "We have not received any formal complaint and, in any case, cannot comment on individual cases."

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