Paris attacks french judges order trial for 20 suspects
On June 15, 2021, French judges ordered the trial of 20 suspects in connection with the 2015 Paris attacks, which killed 130 people and injured hundreds more. The attacks were carried out by a group of terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) and were the deadliest in France's history.
The 20 suspects, including several high-ranking members of the terrorist group, are accused of various crimes, including murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy. The trial is expected to begin in September 2021 and is expected to last several months.
The suspects include:
- Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the alleged mastermind of the attacks, who was killed in a police raid in November 2015.
- Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in the attacks who was arrested in Brussels in 2016 and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in France.
- Mohamed Abrini, a Belgian national who was involved in the attacks and was arrested in 2016.
- Bilal Hadfi, a French national who was one of the suicide bombers who attacked the Bataclan concert hall.
- Samy Amimour, a French national who was involved in the attacks and was killed in a police raid in 2015.
The trial is expected to focus on the planning and execution of the attacks, as well as the role of each suspect in the plot. The prosecution is expected to present evidence, including phone records, surveillance footage, and testimony from witnesses and experts.
The trial is also expected to raise questions about the extent to which the French authorities were aware of the threat posed by ISIS and whether they could have done more to prevent the attacks. The attacks were widely criticized as a failure of French intelligence and security services, and the trial is likely to be closely watched by the public and the media.
In a statement, the French prosecutor's office said that the trial would be held in a specially designed courtroom in Paris and would be attended by victims' families and survivors of the attacks. The prosecutor's office also said that the trial would be broadcast live on television and online to allow the public to follow the proceedings.
The trial is a significant moment in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, and it is expected to provide answers to many of the questions that have surrounded the attacks since they occurred.