Manhunt for Jürgen Conings

Manhunt for Jürgen Conings
Part of Counter-terrorism operations in Belgium
Location
several locations, including Hoge Kempen National Park
Planned byFederal Police; Belgian Armed Forces
TargetJürgen Conings
Date17 May 20 June 2021
OutcomeBody of Jürgen Conings found

The manhunt for Jürgen Conings (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjyːrɣə(ŋ) ˈkoːnɪŋs]) began on 18 May 2021, after the discovery that Conings, a Belgian soldier under suspicion of far-right extremism, had taken several weapons from military barracks in Leopoldsburg the previous day and farewell letters were found containing violent threats directed at the Belgian government and virologists (relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic). On 20 June 2021, Belgian media reported that a body had been found in the Dilserbos forest, which was later confirmed by the Federal Prosecutor's Office to be the body of Jürgen Conings. One day later, the Federal Prosecutor's Office confirmed that Conings died of suicide by gunshot, which was disputed by his family. A second autopsy was denied and he was cremated a few days later.