The trial of the terrorist attack which cost the life of Father Jacques Hamel in the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, on July 26, 2016, opened on Monday in Paris. A strong moment, when Father Hamel’s sister, Roseline, spoke to the media.
With our special correspondent at the Paris Courthouse, Eric Chaurin
” This attack could have been avoided. At 81, Roseline Hamel, Father Jacques Hamel’s little sister, says it with emotion and dignity. But she has a hard time understanding that the link between the attack in her church in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray and the messages posted by one of the assailants, who was still on file S, was not established in time.
The reasons why the announcements were not taken seriously, ” it’s almost inaudible to us “, she adds. Because there was the Nice tragedy twelve days earlier and we were short of staff during the holiday period. Even if she ” don’t want to blame the staff too much », Roseline asks for explanations and wonders about the lack of resources of the intelligence services.
But it is not yet known whether the police officers in question will come to testify at the trial which began on Monday. Four of them sent in sick leave a few days before the trial. Unacceptable for the lawyers of the civil parties who want them to be heard, just like the lawyers of the three men who appear in the box of the special assize court.
No excuses but words
Yassine Sebaihia, Farid Khelil and Jean-Philippe Steven Jean Louis did not participate in theattackbut they are suspected in particular of having been aware of the intentions of Adel Kermiche and Abdel-Malik Petitjean, the two jihadists killed by the police.
Roseline does not expect an apology from them, but will welcome their words wholeheartedly. For her, they are also victims of terrorism.
The fourth defendant, Rachid Kassim, will be tried in his absence. This French propagandist for the Islamic State organization probably died in Iraq in 2017.