Trial of November 13: "In my life, I often act and afterwards I reflect"
Belgian police officers in front of the courthouse in Brussels, during the appearance of Hamza Attou and Mohammed Amri, on November 20, 2015 (illustrative image).
AFP PHOTO / BELGA / NICOLAS LAMBERT
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In Paris, at the trial of the attacks of November 13, 2015, the second day of the interrogations of the 14 defendants present.
Interrogations on their personality, that is to say their course, outside religion.
This Wednesday, the court heard in particular Hamza Attou.
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With our special correspondent,
Laura Martel
This Belgian, who was 21 years old at the time of the facts, is accused of having gone to pick up Salah Abdeslam by car after the attacks to bring him back to Belgium.
Hamza Attou answered at the bar and not in the box, because like two other defendants, he appeared free.
Throughout his interrogation, Hamza Attou's emotion is palpable.
Tears flow from the first questions and the mention of his deceased father and brother, they tighten his throat when he slips a thought for the families of the victims and emerge again when he expresses many regrets.
Starting with this life which derails after a "
good childhood
", "
pampered
" within a family of eight and a successful start to school.
He is "
caught up
" he says, "
by the reality of life, in college
".
Ex-cannabis dealer for a future suicide bomber
He's talking about his cannabis use, up to 5 grams per day.
The 50 euros he earns on the weekends on the markets are not enough to finance his addiction.
“
I didn't see myself robbing or assaulting people,
” he said, so he landed in a bar near his house.
First a black server, he quickly becomes a dealer for the boss, a certain Brahim Abdeslam, future suicide bomber of the terraces.
In this cafe, he also meets other defendants of the trial, notably becomes friends with Brahim's little brother,
Salah Abdeslam
, who asks him to come and pick him up in Paris, on the evening of the attacks.
Arrested the next day
, he spent two and a half years in detention before being released under judicial supervision.
But alcoholic night trips fail to send him back behind bars.
"
In my life, I often act and then I think, that's also why I find myself here
", he laments.
“
Your relatives describe you as naive, generous, always helpful, do you recognize yourself?
»Adds his lawyer.
"
Unfortunately" yes "and that did not bring me much luck
", but today "
I could say" no ",
" he says.
► To read also: Infographic: who are the alleged perpetrators and accomplices of the attacks?
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Trial of the November 13 attacks
Paris attacks
Terrorism