Nice Basilica Attack Trial: Accused Denies Radicalization, Justifies Violence

Brahim Aouissaoui, accused of killing three in a 2020 attack, claims memory loss while defending the legitimacy of violence against perceived threats to Muslims.

Brahim Aouissaoui, a 25-year-old Tunisian, is on trial for the 2020 Nice basilica attack that killed three people, facing charges of terrorism-related murders and attempted murders.
During the trial, Aouissaoui claimed to suffer from memory loss about the attack, but experts dismissed this as a fabricated defense, citing no evidence of brain injury or lasting effects from anesthesia.
The accused justified violence as a legitimate response to perceived threats against Muslims, asserting that 'all targets are legitimate' in such scenarios, a stance that alarmed the courtroom.
Aouissaoui described his shift from a lifestyle involving alcohol and cannabis to religious devotion in 2018, denying knowledge of associating with radicalized individuals despite his exposure to extremist content.
The trial is set to continue until February 26, with further examination of Aouissaoui's actions, motivations, and the devastating impact of the attack on the victims and their families.