The investigators mention various avenues explored to try to trace the origin of the weapons used by the jihadists.
Where did the weapons used by the jihadist commando of November 13, 2015 come from? The hearing on Monday March 7, by videoconference from Brussels, of a Belgian investigator before the special assize court in Paris did not shed light on their origin.
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The investigation did not allow tomove up the supply chainweapons used in the attacks in Paris and Saint-Denis, recognized the police officer identified by the number 447437051. At most, indicated the investigator, the investigations of the Belgian police made it possible to highlight “the steps taken by certain members of the (jihadist) cell to obtain it“. A week before the attacks, Mohamed Bakkali, considered to be one of the commando’s logisticians, reportedly contacted a certain Mohammed E. to procure six Kalashnikovs. Arrested and prosecuted in Belgium, Mohammed E. is not one of the defendants tried in Paris.
Get “Clio”
The investigator evokes contacts with Kurds and Chechens in the Liège region. Did these contacts succeed? The investigator cannot confirm this. The late verifications of this track by the Belgian police, only from 2018, did not facilitate the collection of evidence. Another track leads to the Netherlands. “A Dutch network was indeed used to buy weapons“says the investigator.
In October 2015, Ali El Haddad Asufi, one of the defendants in the trial, sought to obtainClioin Rotterdam. Clios? Obviously, they were not automobiles, underlines the investigator, but a code name for cannabis … or, more likely, weapons. Ali El Haddad Asufi’s Belgian lawyer, Jonathan De Taye, would like to know why the Belgian police believe that these “Cliorefer to weapons, not drugs.
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“We also take precautions to buy narcotics“, points out the lawyer. “For weapons too we take precautions“replies the tac-au-tac policewoman. The lawyer insists:You must demonstrate that these are weapons“. The investigator gets angry:You too must show that they are narcotics“. “But no ! I don’t have to demonstrate anything at all“, is offended the lawyer. In law, the burden of proof is on the prosecution. In total, only six Kalashnikovs were found at the crime scenes. “Can we deduce that (the members of the commando) had difficulty obtaining supplies?“Asks Advocate General Nicolas Le Bris. “Yes, it seems that there was a small problem“replies the investigator.