The Islamic State suicide bombers who killed more than a dozen people last year at the Brussels international airport targeted American and Jewish passengers, according to Belgian investigators.
Agents assessed in a new report that a Delta Airlines check-in desk served as a primary target for the jihadists, unnamed Belgian sources told AFP on Monday. Investigators also believe that Orthodox Jews traveling to Israel were singled-out in the March 22 attacks.
"It's clear they had quite specific targets," an anonymous source said. "We know they wanted to target Americans … We know they were obsessed with the Israelis too."
Security footage from the Zaventem airport allegedly showed one of the bombers following a group of Hasidic Jews before detonating a bomb. Investigators also believe the video showed a bomber standing among some 60 high school students before changing course to target two Hasidic Jews.
"The attacker seemed to rush towards two Orthodox Jews," the source said. "He really, clearly wanted to kill a Jew."
ISIS bombers Najim Laachraoui and Ibrahim El Bakraoui ultimately killed 16 people in the airport attack. Bakraoui's brother Khalid later went on to kill another 16 people at the Maelbeek subway station.
Four Americans were killed in the bombings at the airport while several others were injured. Two Israeli nationals were treated in Jerusalem following the blasts.