The trial of those involved in the terrorist attacks at Zaventem Airport and on the Brussels metro in March 2016 could be suspended for the rest of the week after one of the accused Salah Abdeslam and a substitute member of the jury were unable to attend court on Monday morning due to illness. In addition to this several magistrates and court officials are also ill. On Monday afternoon the presiding judge will decide whether the session will be suspended for the rest of the week.
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Terror trial: Salah Abdeslam and jury member ill, presiding judge to decide whether session will be suspended
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On Monday morning the Federal Public Prosecutors continued with their reading of the indictment against those accused of the terrorist attacks in Brussels and Zaventem on 22 March 2016. The reading of the indictment was only due to take 3 days.
However, circumstances meant that there were several delays during the first week of the trial last week. By the start of the session on Monday morning 289 pages of the 467-page indictment had been read. If the session is not suspended, it is expected that the reading of the indictment will have been completed sometime on Tuesday.
Illness
Two people were absent through illness at the start of proceedings on Monday morning. They were Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the 2015 Paris terror attacks and a substitute member of the trial jury. The female jurer had become unwell on her way to court.
This leaves 12 jury members and 19 substitute jury members currently available. At the end of the trial a jury of 12 people will decided on whether those standing trial are guilty or not guilty.
At the start of proceedings on Monday morning the presiding judge Laurance Massart said that a virus is doing the rounds among magistrates and court officials. “We’re all ill. This afternoon I will see how things are among the troops and if we need to suspend the session so that we don’t lose everyone”.