2012 Amstelvoort bombings
 The Ewoud Willighagen Hotel burning after a car bomb exploded near the lobby | |
| Date | First attacks – September 5, 2012: 9:30 a.m. (first explosion) 9:34 a.m. (second explosion) 10:44 a.m. (third explosion) Second attacks – September 6th, 2012: 10:55 a.m. (first explosion) 11:00 a.m. (second explosion) |
|---|---|
| Location | Amstelvoort, Beatavic |
| Type | Suicide bombing, Car bombing |
| Motive | Beatavic's participation in CCA peacekeeping operations in Jaginistan |
| Target | First attacks: Amstelvoort Federal Complex Amstelvoort City Center Stijn Kluessjen Museum Second attacks: Kluessjen shopping center Willighagen Hotel |
| Organised by | Al-Fijar |
The 2012 Amstelvoort bombings were a series of terrorist attacks which occured from September 5-6, 2012, throughout the city of Amstelvoort, Beatavic. The attacks were carried out with cars fitted with bombs detonated at five different locations. The vehicles, rented by the perpetrators days earlier when they arrived at Amstelvoort International Airport, were loaded with propane canisters and driven to their targets. On September 5th, three truck bombs were detonated, one in front of the Amstelvoort Federal Complex at around 9:30 a.m. local time, another in front of the Amstelvoort City Center, and another in front of the Stijn Kluessjen Museum at around 9:34 a.m. As a result of these bombings, 18 people died, including the attackers, and more than 100 people were wounded. On September 6th, two different attacks were perpetrated against the Stokreef shopping center at around 10:55 a.m. and the Willighagen Hotel at around 11:00 a.m. In the second round of attacks, 183 people lost their lives and more than 450 were injured, with 140 of the deaths occurring at the Willighagen. In total, the attacks killed 201 and injured 560, and were the deadliest in Nortuan history until they were surpassed by the 2022 Oftbon attacks.
Investigations launched in the wake of the attacks determined that Al-Fijar had orchestrated the bombings. The criminal case that followed began with 69 defendants and, with additions, included 76 defendants in February 2013. The trial concluded in April 2014 with the sentencing of 19 defendants, of whom seven were sentenced to life in prison, to various periods of incarceration. Some of the figures allegedly involved in the attacks fled to Jaginistan after the attacks and died there, while a portion were captured by security forces. The leader of al-Fijar at the time, Ahmed Babdi, claimed responsibility for the attacks in a video message a year after, and stated that the motive was to bring an end to Beatavic and the Sotoan Basin Union's involvement in CCA-peacekeeping operations in Jaginistan.