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Bombers Affair

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Serial bombing attacks in Luxembourg (1984–1986)

The Bombers Affair (Luxembourgish: Bommeleeër Affär) is the name given to a series of bomb attacks on infrastructure installations and public buildings in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg between May 1984 and April 1986. The identities of the perpetrators and the motives are not known; however, the population developed a diverse set of conspiracy theories.[1] Many believe that members of the Luxembourgish Government or Grand Ducal Family,[2] as well as insiders in the Security Services were involved in the attacks.[3]

Events

Police and military examine a car damaged when an explosive device was thrown from a passing car in Luxembour in the evening on December 2, 1985. The device landed less than a hundred meters from the Kirchberg centre, where Heads of State from European Community countries are holding a two-day summit.

The perpetrators carried out thefts of detonators and explosives from Luxembourgish quarries. The perpetrators used the stolen materials to blow up electricity pylons from the electricity company Cegedel.[4] The company received multiple ransom letters.[4] The company contacted the police and decided not to pay. Later, once the company had come to a conclusion and decided to pay the ransom, the perpetrators declined the transfer of money, stating that they knew of the police interest surrounding the attacks. Cegedel's electricity pylons remained the target of later attacks. However, the perpetrators diversified the targets of their later attacks to include the headquarters of the Gendarmerie and the Palace of Justice. A particularly significant incident happened during a meeting of the European Council on the Kirchberg plateau. The incident in question involved a small explosive device which was thrown out of the window of a moving car. After two further attacks, one a car bomb at the apartment of a notary, and the apartment of a retired commander of the Gendarmerie, the attacks ceased.

No one was killed in the 18 attacks. However, a young soldier was killed during service by a traffic collision during the surveillance of Luxembourg Airport. The perpetrators also set up an explosive trap in a forest, which was discovered before it could be put to use. This could perhaps have resulted in the death of many people. Furthermore, an engineer’s hand was severely injured when he picked up a flashlight which had been fitted with a detonator. A number of people were injured as a compromised electricity pylon fell upon a highway, which caused traffic to collide on the highway, though nobody was severely injured. It is believed that the perpetrators wanted to avoid human casualties, though in a number of incidents it was pure chance that no-one was injured.

Chronology of the attacks

[4]

References

  1. ^ "Prozess über mysteriöse Anschläge kommt". L'Essentiel (in German). 28 June 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  2. ^ "Prinz Guillaume als Bommeleeër?". Luxemburger Wort (in German). 20 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  3. ^ Thiel, Michel; Remesch, Steve (25 February 2015). "Bommeleeër: Von vier Spuren blieb am Ende eine". Luxemburger Wort (in German). Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  4. ^ a b c Remesch, Steve (24 July 2019). "Bommeleeër: Die Chronologie der Anschläge". Luxemburger Wort (in German). Retrieved 5 May 2026.
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