Two men, who are to be tried for common law offenses in the trial of the attack in Nice of July 14, 2016, which left 86 dead, were released on Monday (November 30) for procedural irregularities, AFP learned from sources. concordant this Wednesday.
The indictment order, signed on November 9 by the anti-terrorism investigating judges, should have been accompanied by a separate detention order for Artan Henaj and Maksim C., since the terrorist charges were abandoned for them, these sources explained to AFP, confirming information from the
Parisian
.
The Paris public prosecutor's office, noting the irregularity, ordered their release on Monday, a judicial source said.
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The two men, two Albanian cousins, are returned to the assizes, like three other accused, including a woman, but only for common law offenses related to the supply of a weapon to Ramzi Arefa and intended for the author of the crime. Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel attack.
Three other men, two Tunisians, Mohamed Ghraieb, Chokri Chafroud, and a Franco-Tunisian, Ramzi Arefa, are being prosecuted for "
criminal terrorist association
".
The trial before a special assize court should take place in 2022. Until then, justice will however have to examine the appeal lodged by the national anti-terrorism prosecution (Pnat) against the order of the investigating judges, who issued a dismissal in favor of a ninth suspect, Hamdi Z., contrary to the requisitions of the Pnat.
"
This is good news, even if it is a procedural error, but it resonates with the extent of his criminal responsibilities in the case
", rejoiced Me Karim Laouafi, one of the lawyers. by Artan Henaj, 44 years old.
The latter, in an irregular situation, was placed under house arrest for six months in the Allier, where he was imprisoned, by a judge of freedoms and detention.
Maksim C., 28, also in an irregular situation, was released and then immediately placed in an administrative detention center, said his lawyer Me Clémence Cottineau, “
relieved
” by his release.
“
I saw him grow old in detention for four years.
He has never had any connection with the terrorist aspect of this file,
”she added, adding that he“
did not (present) any danger and (had) no criminal record
”.
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The two men are summoned Monday before the investigating chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal to be placed under judicial control until the trial, according to the judicial source.
On the evening of July 14, 2016, after the fireworks display, Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian, had driven 86 people behind the wheel of a truck, including children and tourists, in the space of four minutes on the road. Promenade des Anglais.
More than 300 people were injured and the perpetrator was shot dead by police.