Lawyers for the accused, from left, Isa Gultaslar, Laura Severin, Romain Delcoigne and Sven Mary attend the trial of Salah Abdeslam and Sofiane Ayari, at the Brussels justice palace in Brussels on Monday, April 23, 2018. (Source: AP)
A Brussels court has found Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam and an accomplice guilty of attempted murder over shots fired at police officers as they sought to flee arrest in March 2016, and sentenced them to 20 years in prison.
The court said the “terror character” of the shooting was clearly established in the incident when Abdeslam and Sofiane Ayari sought to escape after they were found in a hideout in a Brussels suburb.
Europe’s most wanted fugitive Salah Abdeslam was arrested after raid in Brussels on Friday.
The incident occurred four months after the Paris attacks that killed 130. The two were captured three days later.
“It will not interfere with the procedure,” he added. It is unclear when he will face trial over the Paris attacks. The conclusion of the case at Brussels’ ornate palace of justice took place amid tight security set up by the armed forces and police.
Police patrol outside the Brussels justice palace during the trial of Saleh Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari in Brussels, Monday, April 23, 2018. (Source: AP Photo)
Abdeslam was close to being arrested in a hideout when he and Ayari fled while another man sprayed gunfire toward police and was killed. Three officers were wounded.