A Tunisian man, Brahim Aouissaoui, 25, has gone on trial in France on terrorism charges in connection with the 2020 killing of three people at the Notre-Dame basilica in Nice, on the French Riviera. The attack, which occurred on October 29, 2020, was part of a series of terrorist acts linked to Islamic extremism that year, sparking widespread concern and raising the national security alert to its highest level.
The trial, which began on Monday in Paris, marks the first public legal proceedings following the brutal attack. Aouissaoui, the only defendant in the trial, faces charges of terrorist murder and attempted murder, with the possibility of a life sentence if convicted. He is accused of killing two women, 60-year-old Nadine Vincent and 44-year-old Simone Barreto, as well as church worker Vincent Loquès, 55.
According to French authorities, the assailant, armed with a knife, stormed into the basilica, shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great). Police shot Aouissaoui as he lunged toward them, and he was subsequently hospitalized after being seriously wounded. He underwent two operations and was placed in intensive care.
During the proceedings, Aouissaoui, who has reportedly shown behavioral issues in detention, claimed he had no memory of the attack and expressed confusion about his identity. He even falsely stated that his parents were deceased, despite being informed that they were alive. Expert psychiatrists have determined that his memory loss was likely a defensive mechanism rather than genuine amnesia, describing him as a person who progressed from addiction to radicalization and finally to committing the attack.
Aouissaoui’s journey to France began with his departure from Tunisia in mid-September 2020, arriving in Italy before traveling through several European cities. He was allegedly aware of the growing tensions in France following the controversial trial of the Charlie Hebdo attackers and online threats against the country by al-Qaida-linked groups.
Investigators say Aouissaoui had premeditated the attack, having scouted the basilica multiple times in the weeks leading up to the tragedy. Social media posts and other evidence revealed his disdain for France, which he referred to as a “country of miscreants and dogs.”
The trial has reignited debates around the growing threat of radicalization in France, which remains on high alert amid continued concerns over domestic terrorism and online extremist propaganda. Aouissaoui’s actions are viewed by many as part of the larger pattern of Islamic extremist violence that has plagued Europe in recent years.
