Slaughter in the mosque: Alexandre Bissonnette advocates officially not guilty

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Alexandre Bissonnette

Kathleen Frenette

Monday, 26 march, 2018 09:50

UPDATE
Monday, march 26, 2018 11:47

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Not guilty. These words, Alexander Bissonnette, the presumed author of the slaughter that occurred in the Mosque of Quebec in January 2017, has repeated twelve times in his indictment. A repetition that seemed to resonated as true shots to the families present in the room.

On the stroke of 9.30 am, Bissonnette, 28 years old, wearing dark pants and a shirt of pale blue, was brought, under heavy escort, in front of the lectern to save his pleas of not guilty.

If the first “not guilty” was open and it seemed to be assumed, the insurance of the alleged murderer seemed to crumble as the reading made by justice François Huot.

Once this procedure is done, the young man who has been detained since his arrest has taken place in the box of the accused where he seemed to be attentive to each step of the procedure of the hearing of the queries that has been hit by a publication ban.

Several minutes earlier, some women of the muslim community, including a widow and all of the onlookers in the room – not many – have had to pass the point of search, which will take place in front of the room 4.01 of the palace of justice for six to eight weeks scheduled for the trial.

An exceptional procedure implanted since the first day or Bissonnette has been brought before the Court, there to be accused.

All of the people present in the room must present a valid id with photo, pass the point of search for then enter in the arches of the metal detector. A step controlled by several special constables who, throughout the trial, will be many to ensure the safety and the serenity of the debates.

Recall that Alexandre Bissonnette has been accused of first-degree murder of Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzeddine Soufiane and Aboubaker Thabti.

He is also accused of having attempted to cause the death of Said Akjour, Aymen Derbali, Said El Amari, Nizar Ghali and Mohamed Khabar, using a firearm to restricted.

Finally, it accuses him of having attempted to cause the death of 35 persons who were, on the evening of January 29, 2017, in the place of worship is located on the chemin Sainte-Foy.