Image source,Reuters
The suspect who was on trial in Paris was sent to court under police escort.
In the 2015 Paris terrorist attack, six years later, the trial was held on September 8, local time, and 20 men were tried. The trial is expected to last nine months and is the largest trial in modern French history. Salah Abdeslam, the sole survivor of the group involved in the planning and execution of the attack, called himself an “Islamic State fighter” in court and complained that he included himself The defendant was “treated like a dog.”
On November 13, 2015, a terrorist attack at the Bataclan Theater in Paris killed 130 people and injured nearly 500. It was the worst attack in France after World War II. The so-called Islamic State (IS) has admitted to attacks on Batakland theaters, stadiums, restaurants and bars.
The hearing alone will last more than 140 days in the case, involving the testimony of about 330 lawyers, 300 victims, and then French President François Hollande.
Court scene
According to French media reports, Abdeslam yelled from the dock, saying that he had never complained because he would “resurrect” after his death.
“You should treat us as human beings,” French television station BFMTV quoted him as saying.
“What about us? 130 people died,” someone shouted in the court in response to Abdeslam.
Image source,Getty Images
The court was built specifically for this trial and is said to be the largest court in the history of France.
The judge then reminded Abdul Salam that this is not a “church court, but a democratic court.”
Abdul Salam also told the court: “I gave up my job and became an Islamic State soldier.”
Victor Edou, a lawyer for the eight survivors of the Batakland terrorist attack, said that some clients “feel not very good” after hearing Abdul Salam’s comments.
The then French President Hollande told the French media before the start of the trial that this was an important moment for the victims. He called the attack an “act of war.”
On Wednesday morning, the suspect arrived at the court in a police car under tight security. Before the trial began, they sat in the defendant’s compartment, wearing masks.
The judge of the Supreme Court asked Abdeslam to confirm his identity. He confirmed his name and said the oath of Islam “Only Allah”.
Six of the 20 people on trial were absent. They face charges of murder, conspiracy and terrorist conspiracy. If convicted, most defendants could be sentenced to life imprisonment, including Abdul Salam.
Abdul Salam, 31, was accused of providing logistical support to the attackers. He abandoned his suicide belt and escaped from the killing scene. Investigators later discovered that the belt was defective.
Abdul Salam was the most wanted man in Europe at the time. He was arrested four months later after fighting with the police in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
He has since refused to cooperate with French investigators. In another trial in Belgium in 2018, he remained largely silent. Many people speculate that he might not speak in this trial.
Family members of victims: “I had a lot of nightmares”
Stephane, the son of Jean-Pierre Albertini, was killed in the Bataclan attack. He told Reuters that Abdul Salam said he was an Islamic State. Soldier, this shows that he is still “in battle”.
Philippe Duperron’s son Thomas was also killed in the attack. Mr. Du Peron said that his feelings about the trial are very complicated. Apart from impatience and anxiety, there are other emotions. “This is an opportunity for all the victims to testify. It is a very painful time. It makes me feel the pain again.”
Another woman named Sophie Parra told French TV station BFM that she was anxious about facing the suspect in court, but she would testify in the trial. She said that she had “a lot of nightmares” and dreamed about “all possible situations”, but she felt that she had to do something for the victim.
The area around the court was sealed off, and armed police with police dogs patrolled before the trial. This is a court specially built for this case and can accommodate hundreds of people. Participants in the trial need to pass through several checkpoints to be allowed to enter.
The trial process will be recorded but will not be broadcast live. In France, relatives of survivors and victims are called civil plaintiffs. If they cannot attend, they can participate through streaming media.
According to the BBC Paris correspondent Hugh Schofild (Hugh Schofild), the first day of the trial was “mixed with chaos and solemnity, drama and boring.”
“Everyone was very confused at first and didn’t know where to go. But at 1 pm, the chief judge walked into the courtroom and silence fell. I think at that moment, everyone took a deep breath and understood the moment. Meaning.”
The first few days of the trial are expected to be based on procedures, and the victim will be summoned to testify at the end of September.
Image source,Belgian/French police
In March 2016, Abdul Salam was arrested in a raid not far from his home in Brussels.
Who are the suspects on trial?
Abdeslam is the only surviving member of the organization suspected of carrying out the attack. He has been in prison since his arrest in Belgium in 2016.
The other 13 defendants who appeared in court were charged with a series of crimes, including financing the attack and planning the attack. One of them was Mohamed Abrini, who was accused of providing funds and weapons to the attackers. The 36-year-old man will also be tried in the 2016 Brussels bombing next year.
33-year-old Mohammed Amri and 27-year-old Hamza Attouh are also suspects. They were arrested in Belgium and admitted to receiving Abdeslam in France and Immediately after the attack, he drove him back to Brussels.
Six other people were accused of assisting in organizing the attack, and several of them are believed to have died. But because they were never officially declared dead, they were still tried in absentia.