Citing his right to silence and declaring his Muslim faith, he accused the media of condemning him before his trial: "Judge me. That is a right which I have," he said, adding: "My silence does not make me a criminal or guilty. Abdeslam arrived under heavy guard from France, where he has been held under 24-hour suicide watch near Paris. Co-accused Sofien Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian, told the court that he had been with Islamic State forces in Syria. Lawyers for Abdeslam accept that he was in Paris when gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 at the Bataclan, near the national stadium and at cafes and restaurants.

Source: bd News24 February 05, 2018 11:15 UTC