One of the terror suspects currently standing trial for the 2016 Brussels bombings, Salah Abdeslam stated on Wednesday that he was beaten by police officers during his transfer to the courtroom. His lawyer revealed that the inside of her client's mouth had shown signs of injury.
The Brussels 2016 terror attacks trial has been the subject of much controversy since its beginning. The latest allegation by terror suspect Abdeslam follows complaints levied by other terror suspects that they had been mistreated during their transfer to the Justitia site. They subsequently sued the Belgian State over the conditions of their transfer, which led a Brussels judge to stop the practice of strip searches.
However, Abdeslam's lawyer Delphine Paci states that this has not stopped three officers from being violent with her client, accusing them of having punched Abdelsam on Wednesday.
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The suspect took to the floor to detail the alleged incident, which occurred after he told the police officers that he was ready to go to the hearing. Abdeslam states that he was forced to endure another nude search, which he accepted, but that a dispute broke out when one of the officers asked to look away.
"When I asked to bring in his superior, with whom I am on good terms, he raised his voice," Abdeslam added. After which, the officers grabbed and tried to overpower him, which resulted in one of them punched Abdeslam in the mouth. As a result, Paci requested that the hearing not be adjourned in order for a doctor to assess her client's injuries.
Reactions inside the courtroom
The terror suspect apologised to the victims of the attacks in court, stating that "I know you did not come here for this type of thing." However, those representing the civil parties and the prosecution both agreed that the hearing should not be halted, with prosecutor Bernard Michel noting that the presumption of innocence also applies to police personnel.
Nonetheless, another defendant, Ali El Haddad Asufi, agreed with Abdeslam's allegations, claiming that the "coercion" employed by officials in charge of their transfer had given them "free rein" to be violent.
