November 13 trial: Mohamed Abrini confirms that he should have been part of the commando
Courtroom sketch showing Mohamed Abrini, during his interrogation at the November 13 trial at the Paris courthouse, March 22, 2022 (Image illustration).
AFP - BENOIT PEYRUCQ
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The trial of the attacks of November 13, 2015 in France enters a new phase from this Tuesday, March 29, with 100 days of hearing.
The court will now hear the defendants on the course of this night of terror during which 130 people were killed.
The first accused to be questioned today is Mohamed Abrini.
Last week, he hinted that he was to be part of the November 13 commandos.
He has just confirmed it to the Court.
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From our special correspondent at the Paris Courthouse
,
Marine de la Moissonnière
Mohamed Abrini must have been part of the commandos, he said.
On the role he was to play, he is not very specific:
"I was probably on the terraces with a Kalashnikov, but I'm not sure
," says the 37-year-old Belgian.
Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the coordinator of the attacks, told him at the beginning of September that he would be part of an operation, but he never gave him details.
He just knows that France will be targeted.
Mohamed Abrini doesn't dare tell Abdelhamid Abaaoud that, for him, it's out of the question to shoot unarmed people in the street, like this:
"
I owe him a lot, he's the one who got the body of my brother in Syria and who had him buried
".
Even if he knows that he will not go all the way, Mohamed Abrini still participates in the preparations, at the beginning of November, he tells Brahim Abdeslam that he should not be counted on.
“
When does he warn Abdelhamid Abaaoud?
», asks the president.
Mohamed Abrini says it was a few days before the attacks without really being very precise.
“
Why then did you go to France?
“, insists the president.
“
To say goodbye to my friends
”, explains Mohamed Abrini who insists: he did not deflate the day before.
When he warned Brahim Abdeslam, the latter then recruited his brother Salah to replace him.
Mohamed Abrini tries as best he can to clear his childhood friend.
►Also read: November 13 trial: the last hours before the horror
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Trial of the attacks of November 13