Cyprus Mail
EuropeWorld

Chief Paris attacks suspect Abdeslam says he killed no-one

An injured man is carried out of the Bataclan following fatal shootings in Paris

Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in a jihadist rampage that killed 130 people in coordinated attacks across Paris in November 2015, on Wednesday told a French court he had never killed or wounded anyone.

“I wanted to say today that I didn’t kill anyone, and I didn’t hurt anyone. I didn’t even make a scratch,” Abdeslam told the court under questioning.

“It’s important for me to say this, because since the beginning of this case, people have not stopped slandering me.”

French-Moroccan Abdeslam, 32, is believed to be the only surviving member of the Islamist commando thought to have carried out the gun and bomb attacks on six restaurants and bars, the Bataclan concert hall and national soccer stadium.

He is alone among the 20 defendants to be directly accused of murder, attempted murder and hostage-taking. Investigators allege that his explosive vest malfunctioned and that he fled the French capital in the hours after the attack.

Abdeslam described himself as an Islamic State soldier when the trial began in September but has not yet been questioned on his alleged role in the night of the attacks.

He told the court he had never travelled to Syria.

“Every day they fight, every day they sacrifice themselves,” he said of the Islamic State insurgents.

Follow the Cyprus Mail on Google News

Related Posts

Putin won’t make peace in Ukraine before 2024 US election -US official

Reuters News Service

Hamas, Israel release more hostages, prisoners in fifth day of Gaza truce

Reuters News Service

North Korea says its new spy satellite photographed White House, Pentagon

Reuters News Service

Texas top court weighs scope of abortion ban exception for risky pregnancies

Reuters News Service

Germany’s Scholz vows to modernise economy, back Ukraine, despite budget woes

Reuters News Service

Ukraine says Russian strikes hit coalmine and private homes, four killed

Reuters News Service