“I made mistakes, that’s true – Salah Abdeslam
Salah Abdeslam is a Belgium-born French national, believed to be the only surviving member of the group directly involved in the attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015 (in which 130 people were killed and 683 others injured) providing logistical support to the assailants, leading them to their destinations, and have some involvement in the manufacture of the explosives used.
The court today gave the opportunity to speak to all 14 defendants who are physically attending the trial and then adjourned the hearing. The court will meet again on Wednesday at 17:00 (17:00 CEST), when it will give its verdict.
“I apologized. Some of you will say that this is not honest, that it is a tactic. As if an apology at the sight of so much suffering could be disingenuous,” Abdeslam said.
“I made mistakes, that’s true, but I’m not a murderer, I’m not a killer. If you convicted me of murder, you would be committing an injustice,” added the man who was involved in the preparation of the attack but did not detonate his suicide belt at the last minute.
During the trial, he had previously stated that he had changed his mind at the time.
Abdeslam told the court today that he was abused during his detention in Belgium and was surprised by the pleasure the guards took from the pain they inflicted on him.
In addition to Abdeslam, 19 other defendants are being held accountable for their actions in a wide-ranging trial.
The required sentences range from five years to life imprisonment, in the case of Abdeslam practically without the possibility of release.
Lower sentences are designed for men who ultimately did not engage in the assassinations or had the opportunity to stop them but did not do so.
