Ayoub El Khazzani, the shooter commissioned by the Islamic State (IS) organization to carry out an attack on a Thalys train in August 2015, was sentenced on appeal to life imprisonment.
"We must not give El Khazzani the opportunity to start over what he was unable to execute," claimed the Advocate General at the end of his indictment.
She had asked the court presided over by David Hill to sentence the 33-year-old Moroccan to life imprisonment with a 22-year security sentence, to permanent banishment from the territory and to his registration in the file of perpetrators of terrorist offense (Fijait).
The court followed its requisitions to the letter.
Thursday, El Khazanni expressed his "regrets" and his "shame" for the act he intended to perform, on the last day of his appeal trial.
“Do I regret?
How can I not regret?
“, said the accused to the judges before the Special Assize Court retired to deliberate.
“I am ashamed of what I have done”
“How can I not regret shooting Mark Moogalian in the back?
The bullet went out in his neck.
I was very lucky that he didn't die,” said the 33-year-old Moroccan in Arabic, standing in his cubicle.
"How can I not regret all the victims of the train that I terrorized," he continued.
“I swear to you that I regret everything I have committed.
It is a bitter regret.
I am ashamed of what I did,” he insisted.
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Ayoub El Khazzani also apologized to Belgium (where he hid after his illegal return from Syria), France and Spain (where he lived with his family).
“I betrayed them,” he lamented.
“As a Moroccan I also brought humiliation to my country,” he continued.
"I'm ashamed," he repeated before emphasizing that he would accept the court's decision whatever it was.
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At first instance, Ayoub El Khazzani was sentenced to life imprisonment with a security period of 22 years.