The pain of relatives remains intact
Few Islamist terrorists arrested alive in France. This is the case of Brahim Aouissaoui, a Tunisian national, tried in a special Assize Court in Paris until February 26 for the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de l’Assomption de Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), October 29, 2020.
Does the presence of the author of the attack that killed the faithful Nadine Devillers, Simone Baro Silva and the sacristan Vincent Loquès changes something for the dozens of civil parties, often close to the three victims? Do they hope for repentance of the assassin? Do they plan to forgive, most of which are Christians? Difficult to know it.
Many prefer not to speak to journalists for fear of being targeted too if they pronounce an awkward sentence, explains one of their lawyer. But also because of the suffering that overwhelms them during trying audiences – the courtyard sometimes diffuses atrocious images of the crimes scene.
The pain, moreover, exploded from the first day of the trial. While the terrorist claims to have forgotten everything about the attack, the son of one of the victims exclaims: “Go make yourself fucked up!” He is expelled from the room. In front of such a closed accused, some complainants, like Jean, consider any forgiveness towards him. “I am a Christian but the idea of stretching the other plays when we receive a blow, I don’t like it so much,” he admits during an audience suspension.
This Greek-Orthodox had entered the basilica during the attack. To “meditate and inspect his interior”, which he does once or twice a week in a Christian place of worship. This time he found Nadine’s body. ” I am a doctor. So I looked at her. I saw that there was nothing to do. »»
Before fleeing, he felt the “curious” need to stay tilted for a few seconds: “It was to accompany his departure. Despite the trauma, nothing has changed in his faith. “I continue to go to church as before. Because I am in absolute admiration before my Christ. »»
“Prayer no longer helps me”
Impossible to say the same for Olivier. This close to Vincent, the sacristan, admits that he can no longer enter a Christian building since the attack. Present alongside his friend during the attack, he had managed to run away. The guilt of the survivor has devoured him since.
“I tried once to enter a church with my shrink. It didn’t change anything. Prayer does not help me either. I can’t do it anymore. I was just able to say thank you to God for staying alive. But it was a very small thank you, huh! I would have preferred Vincent to survive in my place. “He is not waiting for the accused:” These people do not ask for forgiveness. »»
It is difficult for the victims to find appeasement in a trial where the accused very likely fell for amnesia. This would be due to bullet injuries received during its arrest. Listening to cells have shown that Brahim Aouissaoui, however, knew more than what he claims.
Worse for the victims, the accused does not deny anything from his fanaticism. Amnesia evaporates when questioning it about radical Islam. His answers Glant: “The Muslim has the right to kill the one who kills him”, “all the targets are legitimate”, “you attach me, I attack you”.
A terrible logic of the law of the talion applied to the blind, to the absurd. What was Nadine, the first victim, was guilty, coming to pray in the morning in the basilica as she used to? And Simone? And Vincent? They had only entered the building to assist the sixties after being warned that there was a woman injured inside. They were not aware that a terrorist was there too.
An indecipherable man
By pretexting amnesia, the assailant may practice the strategy of the Taqîya (concealment), encouraged by the jihadists according to the circumstances. This man remains impossible to decipher. Hair up to the shoulders, he keeps a tense look under a pleated forehead. His head oscillates in slow motion, his gestures are slow. He often looks absent.
The investigation established the reason for his attack. On his phone, Brahim Aouissaoui had consulted from Tunisia plethora of articles on the republication of the caricatures of Muhammad by Charlie Hebdo, in September 2020. In the process, he had decided to migrate in France to commit an attack.
To the stupor of the court, the accused, however, sketched on February 12, 2025, which looks like a first step towards a mea culpa. “The person in the photo is me,” he said when he saw the images of his arrest. Before adding: “I can’t realize how it happened. An admission that has relieved Olivier a little, he told us. A little only.
