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This court drawing shows the main defendant Salah Abdeslam (M.)
Photo: Benoit Peyrucq / dpa
No trace of remorse: In the trial surrounding the Islamist terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, the main defendant presented the bloodbath as a defensive action by the terrorist militia "Islamic State (IS)".
The militia in Paris struck because of French attacks against Islamists in Syria with civilian casualties, said the only survivor of the terrorist command, Salah Abdeslam, on Wednesday during his first questioning in court.
Because IS was unable to respond militarily with planes or helicopters in Syria, it attacked cafés and a concert hall in Paris.
More than 130 people died in the series of attacks on November 13, 2015.
IS claimed responsibility for the crimes.
Abdeslam is said to have had an explosives belt in Paris but did not detonate it, instead throwing it away in a suburb where it was later found.
"I didn't kill anyone and didn't hurt anyone," said the 32-year-old.
He changed his mind.
Nevertheless, Abdeslam emphasized in court his support for the IS, which opposes Western dominance worldwide and wants to enforce Sharia, Islamic law.
"I think that's legitimate." After the attacks, Abdeslam fled to Belgium, where he was tracked down and arrested in March 2016.
Like other notorious Islamists, Abdeslam grew up in the Molenbeek district of Brussels.
For hours, Abdeslam willingly responded to the court's questions.
It was eagerly awaited whether he would make any comprehensive statements at all about the attacks that hit France to the core and left behind many traumatized survivors and relatives.
"Did you really think this would change French politics?" the judge asked, trying to fathom the motivation for the attacks.
Abdeslam failed to give a clear answer.
In the series of attacks, extremists shot dead 130 people in the Bataclan concert hall in Paris and in bars and restaurants.
There were 350 injured.
At the Stade de France, three suicide bombers blew themselves up during an international football match between Germany and France.
as/dpa