The trial of the attacks of November 13, 2015 is continuing before the special assize court in Paris. This Wednesday, the court heard the Belgian expert responsible for analyzing the DNA samples found in the various hideouts used by the terrorist cell.
With our special correspondent at the Paris courthouse, Nathanael Vittrant
The expert who came to present his results did not have access to the names of the accused. He therefore launches into a tedious presentation of the samples found on a fork, a spoon or a cap by linking them to a registration number. ” This one is Salah Abdeslam “, translated from time to time the president.
These statements make it possible to know who has frequented a particular hideout. With what certainty? The question posed by the defense gives rise to a lesson in probabilities. The journalist has not always understood everything, nor has the court.
Let us retain the order of magnitude given by the expert: the probability of an error is one out of ten to the power of 24, in other words: negligible. “ Reminds me of my high school class “, laughs the president.
Still, DNA can’t say everything: you can’t date a sample, and it’s not because the DNA of two people is found in the same room that they necessarily crossed paths.
The session of the day also marked, like the day before, by the absence of Salah Abdeslam. The only survivor of the November 13 commandos had however shown himself to be more conciliatory at the beginning of February. His last intervention dates back to last Friday.
At the helm, a police officer had just apologized for having spoken familiarly to a lawyer. Salah Abdeslam stood up: You have a funny way of behaving with women. “, he had let go. ” You really don’t run out of air “, had replied the president. ” If it’s to say such things, you can sit down. »
►Read again: Trial of the November 13 attacks, no new light on weapons