Trial of November 13: the chilling account of the first findings at the Stade de France
Forensic scientists at the site of one of the attacks outside the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, November 14, 2015. AFP PHOTO / MATTHIEU ALEXANDRE
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
At the November 13 trial, the special assize court plunged back into the night of November 13, 2015 through the accounts of three investigators responsible for the first findings on three crime scenes.
Starting with the Stade de France where the attacks began.
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The calm voice contrasts with the horror of what she says.
In a silent courtroom, the former group leader of the anti-terrorism section of the Paris criminal brigade returned in detail to the attack on the Stade de France, the first of the attacks of November 13, 2015.
Supporting photos and video extracts, the investigator retraces the course of the suicide bomber trio.
9:16 p.m., first explosion at door D and first death: Manuel Colaço Dias, 63, a Portuguese coach driver who came to drop off supporters who were going to attend the France-Germany football match.
No less than eleven nuts, projected by the explosive belt of the suicide bomber, will be taken from his body.
9:20 p.m., second explosion, near gate H of the stadium.
This was filmed.
The images show a huge fireball.
9:53 p.m., third explosion near a McDonald's restaurant.
Two priorities
Arrived at the Stade de France, the investigator has two priorities.
The first is to determine the nature of the explosives.
The hundreds of nuts, wires or detonators he discovers are sent for analysis.
The second is to identify the terrorists.
In the images broadcast this Thursday in front of the court, their bodies are masked by white squares.
But the words of the investigator are believed: "
Here, a head rolled, there a finger, further, pieces of flesh projected at 50 meters
", he enumerates coldly.
In the box, Salah Abdeslam, arms crossed, seems impassive and rarely turns his head towards the screen.
The only member of the November 13 commandos still alive is notably accused of having escorted the three suicide bombers to the scene of the attack.
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To read also: Infographic - Who are the authors and the alleged accomplices of the attacks of November 13
The toll, one dead and 56 injured, could have been even heavier, notes our special correspondent at the Paris courthouse,
Laura Martel
.
But when the terrorists are filmed for the first time at 8:55 p.m., there are no more crowds around the stadium.
Had they previously tried to enter the compound?
There is nothing to confirm this with certainty, even if a steward believes he has turned back one of the suicide bombers who did not have a ticket.
But what is certain is that the suicide bombers sought to kill as many victims as possible, underlines the investigator.
The second suicide bomber thus tries to mingle with three different groups, before launching his charge when a man passes near him running.
Maybe he was afraid of being spotted, says the policeman.
As for the
third suicide bomber
, we can see him quietly turning around after passing a group to come back and blow himself up nearby.
Later in the afternoon, two other investigators came to talk about the attacks carried out on the first Parisian terraces.
The others will be discussed on Tuesday.
In the meantime, the killing of Bataclan, where 90 people perished, will be discussed this Friday.
Videos and audio tapes should be shown at the hearing.
⚫ November 13: some benchmarks to understand the trial
►
General presentation of the trial and victims' expectations
►
Infographic: who are the alleged perpetrators and accomplices of the attacks
►
Podcasts: Shock waves, how to rebuild?
► Interview: François Hollande talks about “his” November 13
►
Report: the double punishment of French Muslims
►
Testimony: "A part of me died at the Bataclan"
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Trial of the November 13 attacks
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