After five weeks of intense debates before the Paris Assize Court, the time for truth.
This Friday, February 23 in the evening, the seven implicated in the attacks in Trèbes and Carcassonne will be determined on their fate.
All are accused of
“criminal terrorist association”.
Note that none is being prosecuted for
“complicity”
, which implies that the Islamist terrorist Radouane Lakdim would have acted alone.
Thursday February 22, the two representatives of the public prosecutor's office, Aurélie Valente and Alexa Dubourg, requested up to 11 years of criminal imprisonment for the seven people in Radouane Lakdim's entourage.
On March 23, 2018, he coldly shot dead a man in Carcassonne, in the Aigles parking lot, a place known to be a meeting point for homosexual encounters.
Radouane Lakdim then shot at CRS who were jogging in civilian clothes, before committing an attack at the Super U in Trèbes, where he killed three people, including Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame.
Also read “It’s time to wake up”: at the trial of the Trèbes attacks, the combative tribute from Arnaud Beltrame’s mother
After several hours of indictment, the prosecution declared that it had, of course,
"heard at this bar that the civil parties wanted the maximum"
and that it was important to
"hear this dull anger"
, but that it was in no way necessary to case
“respond to revenge with revenge, to injustice with injustice”
.
“It is this moderate society that we defend
,” concluded the attorney general.
Up to 11 years of criminal imprisonment
Eleven years in prison were requested against
Marine Pequignot
, the terrorist's girlfriend, aged 18 at the time of the events.
This is the heaviest sentence required.
After several months in pre-trial detention, she appeared free under judicial supervision.
Her lawyers assured that their client, who was preparing to leave for Syria and who had shouted
“Allah Akbar”
at the time of her arrest, had since been
“deradicalized”
.
“Not a day of detention, not a single one”
for Marine Pequignot, demanded one of her lawyers during her pleading, assuring that her client had
“chosen life”
.
Eight years were required against the terrorist's brother-in-law,
Ahmed Arfaoui
.
He is accused of having
“cleaned”
the family home shortly after the attack.
Ten years were required for
Samir Manaa
, 29 years old.
He is accused in particular of having been aware of the radicalization of Radouane Lakdim, of having participated with the terrorist in drug trafficking and of having accompanied him to the
“Pêche Chasse Passion”
store to buy the dagger which will be used to kill Lieutenant Colonel Beltrame.
Twelve months were required against Samir's brother,
Sofiane Manaa
, summoned for a related offense, namely possession of weapons.
Réda El Yaakoubi
, a boss from the Ozanam estate in Carcassonne, is accused of having encouraged Radouane Lakdim in drug trafficking.
The money from this trafficking would have allowed the terrorist to buy the weapons used to commit the attacks.
This Friday morning, the accused declared
“hope that during these five weeks the victims have had answers to their questions”
.
The prosecution requested six years against him.
Sofian Boudebbouza
, 26, appeared for having widely discussed jihad with Radouane Lakdim.
He maintained in particular that
“under certain conditions we can kill women, children, the monk, the blind”
simply because of
“their disbelief”
.
He also regularly relayed propaganda messages from Al-Qaeda and ISIS on Telegram.
“I think of the victims and the injured, I have a lot of thoughts for them
,” he declared this morning on the stand.
“This trial has been a life lesson for me and I hope you believe in my sincerity
,” he added.
The prosecution requested six years against him.
Finally, four years were required against
Baghdad Haddaoui
, the terrorist's
“childhood friend”
.
He is accused of
“failure to report a terrorist crime”
.