PostedMay 30, 2022, 9:49 p.m.
Having lost a parent or feeling the fear of losing one: many children who are “indirect” victims of the attacks of November 13, 2015 grow up in a “wobbly way”, according to their lawyers.
According to a lawyer, the child victims “by ricochet” of the attacks of November 13 are growing up, but “in a wobbly way”. There is also, she continues, the fear of losing the other parent or the misunderstanding of friends.
photo d’illustration AFP
The fate of orphan children, “victims of terrorism”, was, on Monday, at the heart of the pleadings of half a dozen lawyers for civil parties in the trial of the attacks of November 13, which left 130 dead in Paris and in the suburbs. “Two syllables. Two syllables, Papa, Maman, that 69 children will never pronounce again”, reminded lawyer Helena Christidis at the bar, citing the names of Iris, Hector, Mathilde, Emilie, Micha, Tamia, Kevin, Sami, Elsa and several others, “victims by ricochet” of the attacks.
On the screen of the courtroom of the Special Assize Court of Paris, scroll drawings showing the nightmares of these children deprived of parents. One of the drawings depicts a child, eyes wide open, at night, in a bed, alone with the surviving parent. Above and below the bed float ghosts.
Under anxiolytics
For these children, “no more birthdays, candles, moments of love, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day”. The lawyer evokes the gradual fading of happy memories, the sound of beloved voices and fading familiar smells. We grow up, but “in a wobbly way”. There is also, she continues, the fear of losing the other parent or the incomprehension of friends – “It’s been six months now that your father died, can you stop sulking?” –. “It is so destructive that some, at such a young age, are already on anxiolytics…”
“The children of November 13, 2015 are all victims by delay…”
During the trial, which began on September 8, 2021, we heard several testimonies from young people who lost one or both parents and from mothers or fathers who lost their companion or partner. Each time, these were painful stories, evoking wounds that never healed.
“The children of November 13, 2015 are all victims, victims by delay”, explains Léa Capiaux, a lawyer from Milan, 10 years old at the time, and her father who came together in the Bataclan concert hall, attacked by jihadists. Milan, of which it was “the first concert”, and his father survived the massacre, but the sequelae remain intact. “He should have discovered music. He discovered terror. The fear of seeing his father die. This evening changed his childhood. Their lives are forever changed,” insists the lawyer.
“Being a child victim of terrorism is a month and a half without a hug from this father who is afraid of death. It is to make drawings of his parents with sad and frightened faces, full of amazement”, summarizes a lawyer.
Even the children of the accused
In her argument, Helana Christidis does not forget the uncertain future of the children of the accused and of those, children of jihadists, locked up in the camps in Syria. “Yes, gentlemen, your children did not ask to be born into this world. In this world you have chosen. That you have filled with terror, ”said the lawyer, turning to the defendants who listen, heads lowered.
The pleadings of the lawyers for the civil parties, who have chosen to pool their speaking time around themes, must continue until the end of the week. The verdict is expected on June 29.
(AFP)