Paris Attacks: Suspect Faces 3 Years for Harboring Mastermind Abaaoud

Abdelhamid Abaaoud was considered the mastermind behind the Paris attacks. Even though he was killed in 2015, his name continues to haunt every trial. After the attacks, Hasna Ait Boulahcen had asked Courkzine to help her hide her cousin Abaaoud, hidden in a bush in Aubervilliers. According to the prosecutor, the defendant could have reported the latter’s position to the police, but he preferred to be guilty of participating in the activities of a terrorist group, she estimated.

The investigations also confirmed the prosecutor’s statements, as the analysis of his multimedia devices showed that he had a "note on the manufacture of explosives" and that he had a "marked interest in jihadist themes for a long time". For the prosecutor, "he is truly fascinated by jihad. He has been indoctrinated since at least 2010," long before the Paris attacks.

Another thing that does not work in favor of the accused is that "since March 4, 2022, he has been under an arrest warrant for participation in the activities of a terrorist group in a Moroccan case. The suspect arrested was in contact with Abdoullah Courkzine," the prosecutor explained. "We found a slip related to a money transfer to this suspect in Morocco at his place. He is also still a member of jihadist discussion groups and is again in possession of chemical formulas [corresponding to the manufacture of explosives]".