Men on trial over Paris bombings

BBC News ^ | October 1 2002

[knighthawk]

Two Algerian men accused of taking part in a bombing campaign on the Paris public transport system in 1995 have gone on trial.

Boualem Bensaid and Smain Ait Ali Belkacem, both aged 34, are being tried before a special court in Paris which deals with terrorism trials.

The bombing wave killed eight people and injured around 200 others.

The worst attack happened on 25 July at the Saint-Michel suburban railway (RER) station - when all of the eight fatalities occurred, and 150 were injured.

Explosives and nails had been packed into a gas bottle, and the explosion caused horrific injuries.

Other devices were planted at the Maison Blanche metro and Musee d'Orsay RER stations.

Three other bombs were also planted, but these offences are not being dealt with at this trial.

Responsibility for the attacks was claimed by the armed Algerian group, the GIA, which is fighting to establish an Islamic state in Algeria.

Around 200 victims and relatives arrived at the court to witness the start of the trial, which is expected to last a month.

Mr Bensaid is accused of planting the Saint-Michel bomb and being part of the Maison Blanche attack.

Mr Belkacem is charged with helping him carry out the Musee d'Orsay bombing.

Both men face life imprisonment if convicted.

They are already serving 10-year sentences for membership of the GIA, and Mr Bensaid is serving 30 years for a failed attack on a high-speed TGV train in August 1995.

A third man accused over the attacks, Rachid Ramda, 33, has been held in London since 1995, but his extradition has been blocked by UK courts.

He is accused of financing the attacks.

[knighthawk]

Ping

[Voltage]

Islam is a religion of peace!

[ET(end tyranny)]

Some things never change. In 1974, while in France, I took a picture of Sacre Coeur which was surrounded by Algerian demonstrators.

A few days later, while on a flight back to Paris, it was announced over the PA that the demonstrators blew up one of the basilicas of Sacre Coeur.

The only thing that has changed is that the terrorists are now more blatant about it.

[terilyn]

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[BulletBrasDotNet]

They'll let them off with a basket of Merlot and Camembert. Bon jour mes amis. Bon chance!

[facedown]

Responsibility for the attacks was claimed by the armed Algerian group, the GIA, which is fighting to establish an Islamic state in Algeria.

Then why blow up stuff in France? I thought Algeria kicked the French out in the early 60's?

[knighthawk]

I guess they need a reason to kill off civilians. And by linking it with a political goal the left will support you!

[justshutupandtakeit]

France was supporting the Algerian government's attempt to stop the Killer Cult of Mad MO (piss be upon his head.)

[facedown]

Mad MO

Would that be one of these guys?

September 22, 2002; Police killed two rebel leaders (Moussa Sellini and Mohamed Boudraa) of the GIA. Both men were veterans of fighting in Afghanistan and had long been hunted by the police.

Source.

If so, I guess the French "street" is really going to go nuts now!

[July 4th]

The Saint-Michel station is on the RER line that I used to get to class this summer. It's also on the same line as the Port Royal RER station where another bombing took place, also killing several people. The article calls it the suburban rail line - which it is - but keep in mind that these stations are in the heart of Paris...and very crowded at rush hours.

The French took various steps after these bombings, one of which was to completely redesign the trash cans in the stations. Now, the cans are very small and reinforced to send blasts upwards in case some one puts a device in them. (That was how several of the bombings happened.)

The question I have is why it's taken them 7 years to get to trial??

[knighthawk]

I don't know how they even managed to put the trail off for so long.

[Phillip Augustus]

Forget a trial, just deport 'em.

[Guillermo]

Wait, were the frogs protesting our potential use of military tribunals?

I see they have theie own special courts to deal with the Mohammedan terrorists.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Those are some of the boys.

Louie Jordan would have to change the name of his song "Three Guys Named Mo" if he were singing about the world of Islame to "Half a Billion Guys named MO."