At the Nice attack trial on Tuesday, prosecutors requested between two and 15 years in prison for the eight defendants, “links” to varying degrees of “the chain” who contributed to the attack that killed 86 people on the Promenade des Anglais Came to life on July 14, 2016.
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The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (Pnat) has sought 15-year imprisonment against the three main defendants, charged with “terrorist criminal organization,” but asked the court not to retain the “terrorist” qualification, one of them, Ramzi Arefa, who, at the wheel of his pile driver, “provides the weapon used by the terrorist (…)”, but “could not have known of his radicalization”.
Ramzi Arefa “didn’t know about the radicalization” of the killer Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who killed 86 people and injured more than 450 at the wheel of his 19-ton truck on the Promenade des Anglais on July 14, 2016. estimated the prosecution, who nevertheless wanted 15 years in prison against him, as for the other two defendants charged with terrorist criminal organization, Mohamed Ghraieb and Chokri Chafroud.
The latter two “were not unaware of the ability (of Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel) to commit acts related to his radical ideology,” said Jean-Michel Bourlès, one of the three general advocates of the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (Pnat) . the end of his indictment.
Jean-Michel Bourlès and his colleagues from the Pnat Alexa Dubourg and Rachel Lecuyer issued requisitions for almost eight hours on Tuesday, particularly emphasizing that the accused should be tried “solely for the facts with which they are charged”, too if this could lead to enough “frustration” for the victims.
Seven defendants were present, four of whom appeared freely under judicial supervision. An eighth defendant, detained in connection with another case in Tunisia, will be tried in absentia.
The perpetrator of the attack that killed 86 people – including 15 children – and injured more than 450 on the Promenade des Anglais on the evening of July 14, 2016, the Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, was shot dead by the police at the end of his attack Race killer aboard 19-ton Ram truck, is the notable absentee from the trial.
For five weeks, between September and October, more than 260 relatives, survivors or relatives of victims came to testify outside the bar.
Mohamed Ghraieb and Chokri Chafroud risk a maximum of twenty years in prison. Ramzi Arefa faces a life sentence as he is on a legal relapse following a 2014 theft conviction.
Following the indictment and defense arguments scheduled for December 7-9, the defendants will have a final say on December 12 before the court retires to deliberate.
The verdict is expected on Tuesday 13 December.