Extremist underground group's trial hears defense arguments

Attorneys supporting a group of members belonging to the "Salafia Jihadia" extremist underground group -the so-called Youssef Fikri group- presented on Thursday night their arguments at the trial that started on July 4.

No less than 10 attorneys successively took the floor to denounce the police minutes' non-preciseness, the absence of evidence, of witnesses and of flagrante delicto. They requested the acquittal of their clients.

The court will listen this Friday afternoon to the defendants.

The 31 defendants are facing several charges, including setting up a gang, manslaughter, mutilation, hiding of corpses, illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions and knives, robbery, kidnapping, sequestration, arson, forgery and usurpation of identity.