Justice at last as perpetrators of 2016 terrorist attack in Nice are jailed

A French court sentenced eight people for their involvement in the 2016 terrorist attack in Nice on Tuesday, December 13. The suspects from Tunisia and Albania were given sentences ranging between two years and 18 years in the court date more than five years after the attack.

The barbaric attack saw 31-year-old Tunisian, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, drive a truck into a crowd as more than 30,000 people gathered to watch firework displays on the French July national holiday, Bastille Day. The suspect was shot dead by police on the scene after the four minute attack.

The terrorist group, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack which killed 86 people. Police could not trace any links between the attacker and ISIS, but accomplices in the attack were charged on terrorism and facilitating criminal activity.

The court’s verdict comes at the end of a three month trial which saw survivors and victims’ families share heart-wrenching testimonies and victim impact statements.

One survivor, Caroline Villani, expressed her feelings at the verdict, “It won’t bring my family back, my mom, my son, but it’s a small victory that feels good”.