Is an apology enough for carrying out terror attacks and taking several lives? This question seems to have come to fore now as the sole surviving member of the jihadist team, which carried out deadly attacks in November 2015 in Paris, has apologised to the victims on Friday.
The apology came at the end of his trial testimony.
In a tearful statement, 32-year-old Salah Abdeslam said in the court, “I wish to express my condolences and offer an apology to all the victims. I know that hatred remains.. I ask you today that you hate me with moderation”.
He had earlier said that he changed his mind about the killings at the last moment.
Earlier on Wednesday, Abdeslam had told the special Paris court, which was hearing the case, “The objective I was given was to go to a cafe in the 18th district in northern Paris. I’m going into the cafe, I’m ordering a drink, I’m looking at the people around me — and I said to myself: ‘No, I’m not going to do it’.”
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Abdeslam had also said that he was told about the plan of the attack on November 11. It was two days before they were actually carried out.
In the attacks, around 130 people were killed.
(With inputs from agencies)
