For weeks, the horror and fear of the survivors of the attacks in Paris were central to the process surrounding the terror night of November 2015. As well as the difficult road to life afterwards, also for the bereaved. Opposite them sat 14 defendants in the heavily secured Paris Palace of Justice, most of whom were silent. Six other men were tried in absentia. The verdicts were handed down on Wednesday evening. The terror group’s sole survivor, the main defendant, Salah Abdeslam, was found guilty along with 18 of the 19 other suspects.
In the terrorist attacks on November 13, 2015, extremists killed a total of 130 people and injured 350 others. They massacred the Bataclan concert hall and shelled bars and restaurants in the east of the French capital. Three suicide bombers also blew themselves up that evening during an international football match between Germany and France at the Stade de France. The terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Abdeslam received the most attention in the process. The Public Prosecution Service sees the 32-year-old Frenchman as a key figure in the attacks. His defense called for Abdeslam not to give a “slow death sentence” with a view to possible later reductions. He has already been sentenced to 20 years in prison in Belgium and is currently in prison under special conditions in France.
Of the other 19 men accused, six were tried in absentia. One suspect is detained in Turkey, five are said to have died in Syria. The suspects are said to have obtained papers, drove Abdeslam out of the country or acted as a failed hit man. Some are also accused of doing assignments only occasionally.
The attacks changed French society forever. Many saw them as an attack on the French way of life. After the terror night, no one seemed safe anymore. During the trial, the prosecutor’s office was also convinced that the extremists did not care who they killed.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
