The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office appealed the verdict issued on February 23, 2024 by the specially composed court of appeals. Three of those accused in the March 2018 attacks in Carcassonne and Trèbes are concerned.
Eight months after the verdict pronounced by the special court at the trial of the attacks of Trèbes and Carcassonnethe dates of the appellate trial have been disclosed to the various parties. According to information from The Independentwill take place from January 26 to February 20, 2026 and concerns the two main accused, Marine Pequignot and Samir Manaa.
The first accused is the ex-girlfriend of the terrorist, Radouane Lakdim. She was sentenced in the first instance to three years in prison for terrorist criminal association (AMT), well below the eleven years requested by the National Antiterrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT). She is also the only one, among the seven defendants tried in January 2024, who was not acquitted of terrorism.
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Samir Manaa, for his part, is considered the best friend of the perpetrator who killed four people on March 23, 2018 between Carcassonne and Trèbes. He is accused of accompanying Radouane Lakdim to buy a hunting knife from a gun shop in the capital Aude. Also charged with terrorist conspiracy, the court acquitted him of that charge but sentenced him to three years in prison for related offences. The PNAT had asked for the second worst penalty, 10 years in prison.
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For his part, Bagdad Haddaoui, on trial for the related offense of failing to report a terrorist offence, appealed the verdict. During the trial at first instance, the accused made headlines by his absence on the first day of the hearing. He always maintained his innocence. His lawyer pleaded for acquittal. The prosecutor asked for 4 years in prison, including 30 months of suspended probation accompanied by continued detention for “preparation for release.” The court sentenced Bagdad Haddoui to 3 years in prison, 2 of which were suspended.
For five weeks, from January 22 to February 23, 2024, the special court ruled on these deadly attacks. When the verdict was announced, the president, Laurent Raviot, recalled that “if there are no material documents, even in case of complacency, we cannot detain AMT”. And to conclude: “Many people in this case showed great satisfaction towards the terrorist, in the absence of criminal responsibility, they have a very important moral responsibility.” A week later, the prosecutor's office appealed his decision.