Trial of the November 13 attacks: "I did not kill anyone", says Salah Abdeslam
Drawing by Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the commando of the attacks of November 13, 2015 in Paris, in the box of the accused during the trial of the attacks at the Palais de Justice in Paris, September 28, 2021. © AFP - Benoit PEYRUCQ
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The interrogation of Salah Abdeslam, the main accused in the trial of the attacks of November 13, 2015 in Paris, begins on Wednesday February 9.
For two days, he will only be questioned on facts prior to September 2015.
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"
I did not kill anyone and I did not hurt anyone
," Salah Abdeslam, the main defendant in the
trial of the November 13, 2015 attacks
in Paris and near Paris, said on Wednesday before his first interrogation on the merits of the case.
"
Even a scratch, I did not do it
", added the 32-year-old Frenchman, in a spontaneous statement to the special assize court in Paris, before it began its interrogation, five months later. the opening of the hearing.
"
Since the beginning of this affair, I have not stopped being slandered
," lamented the only member still alive of the commandos which killed 130 people in Paris and Saint-Denis, north of the French capital, on November 13. 2015, who again claimed membership in the Islamic State group.
“
I am for the Islamic State, I see how Bashar al-Assad treats his people, kills children, innocents.
I, the Islamic State, I support them, I love them
,” he said, white shirt, hands crossed in front of him.
►Also read: Trial of the November 13 attacks: diving into the Molenbeek of the years 2013-2014
In terrorism cases, "
the sentences handed down are extremely severe
," said Salah Abdeslam.
“
I understand that justice wants to set examples
”, but it thus sends a “
message
”, he continued.
"
In the future, when an individual gets on a subway or a bus with a suitcase filled with 50 kilograms of explosives and at the last moment he says to himself 'I'm going to back off', he will know that he he has no right, otherwise we will lock him up or kill
him, ”said the main accused again.
Two days of interrogation
His first questioning on the facts since the opening of the trial on September 8 is scheduled for two days.
It will only be questioned on the period prior to September 2015.
The mother, sister and ex-girlfriend of Salah Abdeslam who were to testify on Wednesday "
will not come
", indicated the president of the special assize court of Paris, Jean-Louis Périès.
The court will in particular question Salah Abdeslam on his switch to radicalism, he who had a reputation as a "
party animal
", a fan of casinos and nightclubs.
He should also be heard on the stay in Syria of his brother Brahim - future killer of the Parisian terraces - at the beginning of 2015, and on his friend Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who will become the coordinator of the Parisian attacks.
A "
nice guy
", with whom he had lost contact, he told Belgian police in February 2015.
Salah Abdeslam had remained silent during the investigation, almost constantly.
He had spoken once to clear a co-accused, another to launch into a religious tirade.
Since the beginning of the interrogations of the 14 defendants present in court in mid-January, two of them have exercised their right to silence.
First the Swede Osama Krayem
, for whom “
this trial is an illusion
” and who refuses to attend the hearings, then the Belgian-Moroccan Mohamed Bakkali.
“
My word is always suspect, it has no value
,” he explained, resigned, to the court.
With AFP
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Trial of the attacks of November 13
Terrorism