“We are humiliated!” The debates in the trial for the 2016 jihadist attacks in Brussels opened this Monday with a first outburst from Mohamed Abrini, one of the main defendants, who threatened to remain silent for lack of relaxation of security conditions.
The Belgian-Moroccan known as “the man with the hat”, because he was filmed on March 22, 2016 pushing a luggage trolley at Brussels airport just before two suicide bombers blew themselves up, asked to speak when the president He assured that this trial should not be “a state revenge”.
“It doesn’t happen! I have suffered revenge for seven years,” said Mohamed Abrini.
“Things Have to Change”
The terrorist, sentenced to life imprisonment with a security period of 20 years by the special criminal court of Paris, considered “regrettable” the conditions of transfer to the court, marked by strip searches and loss of sensory reference with bandages on the eyes and “satanic music”. in the background”.
“Things must change, otherwise I will remain silent until the end of the trial,” warned the man who had spoken at length at the French trial on November 13.
Nine men stood trial during this extraordinary trial, including Mohamed Abrini and Frenchman Salah Abdeslam, the sole survivor of the November 13 commandos. A tenth, Osama Atar, is tried in absentia because he is presumed dead in Syria. They appear for the double attack on March 22, 2016 at the Zaventem airport and at a Brussels metro station. A double attack that killed 32 people.
A first controversy in September
Last September, the facilities of the Palace of Justice, the former NATO headquarters transformed into a courtroom to try these nine defendants, most of whom face life imprisonment, had already sparked a real controversy. A compartmentalized box had been projected into individual glass-enclosed cells, which provoked a protest by the defendants’ lawyers. This box had to be replaced to install a collective, semi-open, respecting the rights of defense.
This Monday at the opening of the proceedings, the defense challenges focused from the early hours on the drastic security conditions imposed on the seven accused detainees.
“Every morning we examine the folds of my client’s anus. Is that dignified? What will come out of my client’s anus? A weapon?” launched Jonathan De Taye, a lawyer for Ali El Haddad Asufi.
The council announced a notice from the Ministry of Justice to obtain the relaxation of the measures.
“We must be impartial”
After the opening of the debates, the president of the court Laurence Massart carried out a long educational exercise for the jurors, 12 holders and 22 substitutes of the 24 planned. Despite the “300 boxes” of minutes, the principle is the orality of the debates, insisted Laurence Massart. “All the research will come to life in front of you.”
“Our role is to decide, decide. We must be impartial,” explained the magistrate.
Before Mohamed Abrini spoke on Monday at noon, the attitude of one of his boxing neighbors, Osama Krayem, had already raised doubts about the participation of the defendants. This Swedish jihadist of Syrian origin, who accompanied the suicide bomber to the subway before turning around, refused again this Monday to get up and answer questions when the call was made.
The defendants are supposed to be questioned starting December 19 and the first testimonies from the victims are expected in mid-January. The debates should last “until the end of June-beginning of July”, according to the president. All accused of life imprisonment for “terrorist murders and assassination attempts”, with the exception of the Belgian-Moroccan Ibrahim Farisi who is on trial for “participation in the activities of a terrorist group”. He risks up to ten years firm.
Source: BFM TV
