The special assize court of Paris began Wednesday around 8:15 p.m. the reading of its verdict concerning Salah Abdeslam and his co-defendants, tried since September in the trial of the November 13 attacks. After 148 days of hearing, the court drafted a detailed statement in more than 120 pages, announced President Jean-Louis Périès. The document will not be read in its entirety “given the late hour”.
The charges
All the defendants are found guilty as charged, with the exception of Farid Kharkach. The association of terrorist criminals was not retained for the latter. He was convicted of criminal conspiracy to commit fraud.
Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the commandos who left 130 dead, is recognized as a “co-author” of the attacks, “co-author of murders, attempted murders, kidnapping, attempted murders of persons holding the public authority, all in an organized gang.”
“The court recognized that the explosive vest he was wearing was not functional, which seriously calls into question Salah Abdeslam’s declarations as to his renunciation”, indicates LN24.
Mohamed Abrini, the “man in the hat” of the Brussels attacks, who was also “planned” in the commandos of November 13, was found guilty of complicity in murder. He was “fully integrated into the terrorist cell”, said the court. “He obviously gave up at the last moment,” notes President Périès. A departure that disrupted the terrorist cell.
The penalties
In total, the five professional magistrates have handed down sentences ranging from two years’ imprisonment to life once morest the 20 defendants tried since September, including six by default.
Salah Abdeslam was sentenced to incompressible life imprisonment. The five professional magistrates followed the requisitions of the national anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office which had demanded this extremely rare sanction, which makes any possibility of release minimal.
Incompressible life imprisonment, or real life imprisonment, is the heaviest sanction provided for by the French Penal Code. It has only been pronounced four times so far.
Mohamed Abrini was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 22-year security sentence.
As a reminder, the sentences required by the national anti-terrorism prosecution once morest the 14 defendants present at this trial were as follows:
- Salah Abdeslam: incompressible life imprisonment
- Mohamed Abrini: life imprisonment with a security period of 22 years. Permanent ban from French territory.
- Mohammed Amri: 8 years imprisonment. Banned from French territory for a period of 10 years.
- Yassine Atar: 9 years of imprisonment with a security period of 2/3. Banned from French territory for a period of 10 years.
- Hamza Attou: 6 years’ imprisonment with warrant of committal. Banned from French territory for a period of 10 years.
- Sofien Ayari: life imprisonment with a 30-year security period. Permanent ban from French territory.
- Mohamed Bakkali: life imprisonment with a security period of 22 years. Permanent ban from French territory
- Abdellah Chouaa: 6 years’ imprisonment with warrant of committal. Banned from French territory for a period of 10 years.
- Ali El Haddad Asufi: 16 years of criminal imprisonment with a security period of 2/3. Permanent ban from French territory.
- Adel Haddadi: 20 years of criminal imprisonment with a security period of 2/3. Permanent ban from French territory
- Farid Kharkhach: 6 years imprisonment. Banned from French territory for a period of 10 years
- Osama Krayem: life imprisonment with a 30-year security period. Permanent ban from French territory.
- Ali Oulkadi: 5 years in prison
- Muhammad Usman: 20 years of criminal imprisonment with a security period of 2/3. Permanent ban from French territory
