Prosecutors demand life sentence for main suspect in Islamic State Paris attacks

Prosecutors on Friday demanded a life sentence without parole for Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the November 2015 jihadist attacks that killed 130 people in Paris, AFP reported.

Abdeslam, a 32-year-old Frenchman, is the only surviving member of the attackers who opened fire in the packed Bataclan concert hall and on cafe terraces in adjacent streets, and detonated suicide bombs at the Stade de France sports arena.

The request that Abdeslam should not have the possibility of parole is extremely rare in France, where prisoners serving life sentences are often released after 20 to 25 years.

Also on trial are 19 others accused of various degrees of assistance to the killers, from providing logistical support to planning the attacks or supplying weapons.

Prosecutors also requested standard life sentences for suspected Islamic State members, Swedish citizen Osama Krayem and Tunisian Sofien Ayari, and one for Mohamed Abrini, a Belgian accused of having provided weapons and logistical support.

This past September, Abdeslam acknowledged his role in the Paris attacks for the first time and said the killings were retaliation for French air strikes on ISIS and the deaths of 130 innocent people in the attacks were “nothing personal”.

In April, Abdeslam apologized to the victims at the end of his trial.

“I wish to express my condolences and offer an apology to all the victims,” he said, adding, “I know that hatred remains… I ask you today that you hate me with moderation. I ask you to forgive me.”

Abdeslam had claimed during the trial that he had a last-minute change of heart, which failed to convince the prosecution.

The remainder of the trial will now be dedicated to closing statements by defense lawyers. The verdict is due on June 29.

Abdeslam has also been convicted in a Belgian court for trying to kill police during a shootout in Brussels in 2016. The court sentenced Abdeslam and a co-accused to 20 years in prison in 2018.

He was also designated by the United States as a “global terrorist”, meaning that sanctions freezing any assets in US jurisdiction and forbidding Americans to do business with him will be imposed.

Source: INN