July fourteenth has never been a real holiday in Nice since 2016. The physical and emotional suffering that the attack six years ago left behind in the southern French city is great. A truck drove for two kilometers through the famous Promenade des Anglais, trying to hit as many people as possible. Meanwhile, the driver also shot outside with a firearm. With 86 fatalities, the attack in Nice is the second deadliest terrorist attack in post-war France. Only Paris 2015 was even bloodier.

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The Tunisian truck driver Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel (31) could no longer be convicted. He was killed by police in a shootout after the attack. Eight others – seven men and one woman – had to appear before the Paris court on suspicion of involvement in the attack that was eventually claimed by the terrorist organization IS. These are suspects from the perpetrator’s entourage or people who would have been involved as intermediaries in the arms supply to Bouhlel.

No less than 865 persons or associations filed civil proceedings in the process that started in September. In the closing pleas of the defendants, five of the eight defendants apologized, but only one person actually pleaded guilty. Ramzi Arefa said he had indeed sold weapons to Bouhlel, but added that he had not considered what they would be used for. Another denied any connection to the attack. “I have nothing to do with what happened there. I am not a terrorist,” he stated.

Criminal terrorist association

Three of the defendants, including Arefa, were charged with ‘criminal terrorist association’. The Public Prosecution Service originally demanded a prison sentence of 15 years for them. The five others had the word ‘terrorist’ omitted from the indictment because they would not have been aware that Bouhlel had become radicalized.

After the final statements on Monday, the court of assizes retired to deliberate on guilt or innocence and any aggravating circumstances. Today they came out with the verdict. All eight defendants were found guilty. Two main suspects were also found guilty of the more serious charge of “criminal terrorist association”. They were each sentenced to eighteen years in prison.