At the November 13 trial, a silent Swede who "does not like details"

Audience sketch showing Osama Krayem one of the accused of the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015 during the trial at the Paris courthouse, November 4, 2021. AFP - BENOIT PEYRUCQ

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

At the trial of the attacks of November 13, 2015, the court heard in particular, this Thursday, Osama Krayem.

This 29-year-old Swede is accused of having participated in the preparations for the attacks and of having been commissioned on the same November 13 for a planned terrorist attack in the Netherlands.

These are currently questions only on the personality.

This can be frustrating, especially when the accused is not very talkative.

Advertising

Read more

With our special correspondent at the Paris courthouse,

Laura Martel

 You like short answers

 ,” points out Osama Krayem's lawyer. “ 

I don't like details, 

” he replies via his interpreter. Between an accused little inclined to speak out, and the

repeated

“ 

we'll see that later 

” from the court, which cuts short as soon as we come close to religion and the facts, the hearing of Osama Krayem only enlightened superficially its course.

It is, according to investigators, among the eleven defendants in the box, the one who would have been the most senior in the hierarchy of the Islamic State group.

In addition to what he is accused of in this trial,

Osama Krayem

is being prosecuted for his involvement in the

attacks in Brussels

.

He was also identified on a video from the Islamic State organization witnessing the death of a Jordanian pilot burned alive in Syria.

At the helm, beard and long hair, he describes a “simple childhood” in Malmö.

Around 12 he was chosen for a documentary on integration through football.

“ 

Did you feel well integrated? 

»Asks the president.

 No, in my neighborhood there were no Swedes 

”.

Jihadist apprentice in Syria

End of study at 19, a year and a half of work for the municipality and in mid-2014 "

 he left Sweden 

", he says.

You have to understand that he is going to Syria.

He doesn't want to dwell on an ex-romantic relationship, refuses to name his friends: “

In a case like this, you know, they might have problems.

 "

To his lawyer who asks if his relatives are right to describe him "

 calm, sensitive, fragile 

", Osama Krayem answers "

 yes 

".

 But after the war,” he

says, “

my heart hardened 

”.

Pressed by the president, he ended up specifying “ 

the war in Syria

 ”, before adding: “

I was a different person, today I'm better. 

"

► To read also: Attacks of November 13 in Paris: a key suspect handed over to France and charged

Newsletter

Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • France

  • Trial of the November 13 attacks

  • Paris attacks

  • Justice

  • Terrorism

  • Belgium