Salah Abdeslam’s interrogation ended on Wednesday 16 in a much calmer atmosphere. The day before, the hearing had been suspended after several incidents, in particular shouts and applause in the public in reaction to the remarks of the main defendant. Today, Salah Abdeslam did not provide more information on the preparations for the attacks, in particular on the round trips to recover members of the jihadist cell in central Europe.
From our special correspondents the Special Assize Court of Paris,
” Many here think that because you’re a 9/13 survivor, you know everything. You would be the black box of the commando “Explains Me Vettes, one of Salah Abdeslam’s lawyers. ” It’s wrong “, reacts the main defendant of the trial. ” If I don’t give certain information, it’s because I don’t have it and I understand that it causes frustration among the civil parties.
Guided by his advice, Salah Abdeslam answers in a much calmer tone. ” I did not speak during the investigation. We took that for contempt. Today, I try to speak out for the victims. If I’m not up to it, I can’t help it. I’m not used to speaking in public “Says the 32-year-old Frenchman, who has been in solitary confinement for six years.
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On the merits, Salah Abdeslam does not provide more information than the day before. It was the Islamic State that financed the journeys to pick up the members of the commandos returning from Syria. But at that time, he had not yet pledged allegiance to the organization. ” I was somewhat in the same state of mind as Ukrainians who live outside Ukraine and who support their country. […] For me, I was doing something good “, explains Salah Abdeslam who repeats that he did not know what these men had to do in Europe, that he did not speak with them during the trip.
Mohamed Amri, the “taxi”
Salah Abdeslam is also working to clear one of his co-defendants, Mohamed Amri, who was with him when he picked up or returned some rental cars. A simple role of driver “Says one of Mohamed Amri’s lawyers. ” Yes that’s it confirms Salah Abdeslam. ” I asked him to accompany me as if I had called a taxi “.
Asked in stride, Mohamed Amri seized this lifeline. Until then, to justify the rental of a car on behalf of Salah Abdeslam, he explained that the latter had forgotten his driving license. This time he says ” to remember that indeed Salah Abdeslam was in conflict with the rental agency, an explanation given by the person concerned earlier in the day.
The Court continues to be surprised that he considers ” perfectly banal ” than in Molenbeek – a disadvantaged district of Brussels – ” everyone drives a rental car “. ” I myself have already done it to go on vacation to the sea with my wife, or to pull handbrakes, for fun. Trivial or not, activities, underline his lawyers, which have little to do with terrorism.