'It’s a turning point', Bataclan survivor says as victims take stand in Paris attacks trial
Record ID:
1638908
'It’s a turning point', Bataclan survivor says as victims take stand in Paris attacks trial
- Title: 'It’s a turning point', Bataclan survivor says as victims take stand in Paris attacks trial
- Date: 28th September 2021
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 28, 2021) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PEOPLE ENTERING COURTROOM FOR TRIAL OF NOVEMBER 13, 2015 ATTACKS SECURITY SIGN THAT READS (French): "COURTROOM" LAWYER TALKING TO COURT OFFICIAL BATACLAN ATTACK SURVIVOR AND PRESIDENT OF LIFE FOR PARIS ASSOCIATION, ARTHUR DENOUVEAUX POSING FOR PHOTO (SOUNDBITE) (English) SURVIVOR OF NOVEMBER 13, 20215 BATACLAN ATTACK AND PRESIDENT OF LIFE FOR PARIS ASSOCIATION, ARTHUR DENOUVEAUX, SAYING: "Well, finally it's here. It's the first time the victims have a chance to speak directly to the justice system. Of course we've spoken to the cops over the course of the inquiry, but it's the first time we get a chance to tell our stories directly. There is no journalist involved, there is no attorney. And it's a turning point, because it's a way to make sure that the world hears what you have to say, without any filter." SURVIVOR OF NOVEMBER 13, 2015 STADE DE FRANCE ATTACK, BILAL MOKONO, WHO WAS 50 METRES AWAY FROM SUICIDE BOMBER AND SUFFERED INJURIES, SPEAKING TO JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (French) SURVIVOR OF NOVEMBER 13, 2015 STADE DE FRANCE ATTACK, BILAL MOKONO, SAYING AS HE TALKS ABOUT A COUSIN WHO WAS KILLED IN ONE OF THE ATTACKS ON THE RESTAURANT TERRACES: "What I want to remind the court is the emotion, the destruction of a whole family - from the father to the sons to the mother and the friends, the people around. As I've discussed with the lawyer, we didn't make a shopping list, we didn't say we'd make one to talk about the difficulties and the pain that we are going through. And not everyone took part as a civil party." MOKONO SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) SURVIVOR OF NOVEMBER 13, 2015 STADE DE FRANCE ATTACK, BILAL MOKONO, SAYING: "If the president of the court allows me, of course I will address the accused. Those who know me would know that I would address the accused to say first of all, that let's stop acting like an impostor and saying he (main accused Salah Abdeslam) is a Muslim, when he is not. A Muslim is, for me in my faith, and for others too, in their faith, had a chance to read the Koran, and before that, they read the Bible. And what's written in our holy books is that he who has killed a child, an elderly person, a woman - has killed humanity. So I don't know what he is talking about when he talks of himself as a Muslim." VARIOUS OF MOKONO ENTERING COURTROOM FATHER OF BATACLAN ATTACK VICTIM AND PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATION 13ONZE15, PHILIPPE DUPERRON, TALKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FATHER OF BATACLAN ATTACK VICTIM AND PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATION 13ONZE15, PHILIPPE DUPERRON SAYING: "The fact of being close to the accused could be very trying for some because it's a form of confrontation. The expression 'eye to eye' is inappropriate because we are in front of them, they're a bit held back, and we have the president of the court in front of us. Nevertheless, this proximity is, for many, painful and challenging." SECURITY IN FRONT OF COURTROOM VARIOUS OF DENOUVEAUX SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SURVIVOR OF NOVEMBER 13, 20215 BATACLAN ATTACK AND PRESIDENT OF LIFE FOR PARIS, ARTHUR DENOUVEAUX, SAYING: "I'm not sure of what I'm going to say, precisely, but I'd like to speak about the shared path we victims have and that the associations have helped, the fact that resilience is a word that is used a bit too commonly in France right now, but it takes its full meaning when you look at what all the survivors have done together." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ENTERING COURT GATE VARIOUS OF COURT EXTERIORS
- Embargoed: 12th October 2021 13:37
- Keywords: Abdeslam Bataclan France November 13 Stade de France attacks
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Europe,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA001EWMTSNB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Victims of the Nov. 13, 2015 attacks in Paris began to testify in court on Tuesday (September 28), a chapter highly anticipated by survivors and family members.
Around 300 witnesses are expected to speak in the coming weeks, on behalf of the victims.
Twenty people are on trial in Paris, suspected of involvement in a jihadist assault on Nov. 13, 2015, the most deadly attack ever seen in peacetime France, in which 130 were killed and hundreds injured.
The court is hearing testimonies from police officers, survivors, and victims’ families, taking up the scenes of the attacks one by one: the Stade de France, the restaurant terraces in eastern Paris, and the Bataclan concert hall.
On the night of the tragedy, Bilal Mokono was at a restaurant across the national stadium, metres away from a militant who exploded his suicide vest.
He suffered leg, shoulder and hearing injuries. His son, who was with him, was hurled to the ground at the impact of the blast.
Mokono also lost a cousin, who was at one of the restaurant terraces in Paris, where other attackers went on a shooting rampage.
He is expected to take the stand.
And he said he had some things to say to the accused, especially the main suspect Salah Abdeslam: “Let’s stop acting like an impostor and saying he is a Muslim, when he is not.â€
Salah Abdeslam is the only surviving member of the group suspected of carrying out the attacks.
Thirteen others, 10 of whom are also in jail, will be in the courtroom, accused of crimes ranging from helping provide the attackers with weapons or cars to planning to take part in the attack.
Arthur Denouveaux, who survived the Bataclan attack and now heads a victims’ association called Life for Paris, said the testimonies marked a turning point. He will also take the stand.
“It’s the first time the victims have a chance to speak directly to the justice system…I’d like to talk about the shared path we victims have,†he told Reuters before attending the court session.
The band members of Eagles of Death Metal, who were performing at the Bataclan during the attack, are also expected to take the stand.
The trial, which began on September 8, will last for nine months.
(Production: Michaela Cabrera, Nicolas Coupe) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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