After the so-called historic trial of the Nice attacks, France remains in focus. The proceedings began at noon on Monday in a Paris courtroom, where eight alleged accomplices were brought before the court for the July 14, 2016 events. Several prominent Islamic State figures sat on the bench at the final hearing for the November 2015 attacks, yet the Nice case presented a more modest profile for the defendants and their sentences. The group involved in the attack on the Promenade des Anglais included people reachable by the attacker just weeks before the assault. Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel died amid the carnage.
That fateful night, Bouhlel drove a truck through a dense crowd gathered for France’s national celebration along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, the main city on the Côte d’Azur in the southeast. The attack resulted in more than 80 deaths, including 15 minors, and left around 400 people injured, marking it as one of the deadliest jihadist acts in France over the past decade. While ISIS publicly claimed responsibility, that assertion arrived roughly 36 hours after the tragedy; investigators found no direct link between Bouhlel and the organization, suggesting the act may have been driven by opportunism rather than direct orders.
Low-profile alleged accomplices
As in many jihadist incidents, Bouhlel was shot by French police the same night. The investigation focused on the 31-year-old Tunisian man, known for personal struggles with violence and sexual problems, a profile that will surface in the four-month trial. Bouhlel, who enjoyed pork and salsa, did not observe Ramadan and had little prior contact with security services. He had limited documented embedding with authorities, with concerns raised by his wife about domestic violence. Reports indicate he became drawn to ISIS propaganda shortly before the attack, growing a beard in the weeks preceding July 14, 2016.
The ambiguous profile of Bouhlel—whether he acted as an ISIS operative or due to mental health issues—and the unclear roles of the eight alleged accomplices (seven men and one woman) were central to the Paris proceedings. Three Tunisian acquaintances of the attacker were suspected of joining him for a truck ride along the Promenade des Anges shortly before the assault. Four Albanians and a Tunisian were tried for supplying the weapons found in the truck, including a pistol, a grenade, and two fake rifles. Convictions could range from five to twenty years in prison.
Finding meaning in judgment
Seven defendants, tried in absentia with one held in Tunisia, gave initial statements on the opening day before the court presided over by Judge Laurent Raviot. The judge presented a restrained view of culpability, noting the absence of co-authors or direct accomplices among the defendants and acknowledging that the punishment could not compensate the victims fully. Legal advocates emphasized the absence of the person most responsible as a complicating factor. In the words of a lawyer from the 14-7 Avocats collective, some victims struggle to grasp the case due to this absence.
In addition to the standard docket of accusations, the opening hearing addressed procedural matters and the composition of the parties involved. The trial context includes the long reach of the anti-terrorism justice system, with more than 2,450 victims recognized, though only 865 of them pursued civil party status. The anti-terrorism unit responsible for the case is based in Paris, while Nice remains geographically distant within the national justice network.
As with the Bataclan case, hearings are recorded, a notable exception in France where footage from inside courtrooms is typically restricted. Recordings are made available to the public in Paris and Nice, and victims can follow proceedings through a dedicated radio channel. The final sentence is anticipated for mid-December, marking the culmination of a complex and highly scrutinized trial that has drawn international attention to how France handles mass-casualty terrorism cases.