Merah's brother and mentor in front of the Paris Court of Appeal



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The appeal trial of Abdelkader Merah, the brother of Mohamed Merah, is open before the Special Court of Paris. The prosecution and the families of the victims are demanding a harsher sentence for Merah, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2017.

In March 2012, Mohamed Merah killed three soldiers and three children as well as a teacher in a Jewish school in Toulouse, in the south of France.

He claimed to be acting on behalf of al Qaeda and died on March 31, 2012 after a violent 32-hour siege.

Brother Abdelkader Merah was arrested shortly thereafter. In November 2017, the Paris Special Court found him guilty of membership in a terrorist organization for which he had been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. He was cleared of any complicity in the murders.

Fettah Malki is also facing a lawsuit. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2017 for selling an arm and bullet-proof vest to Merad while being aware of his intentions.

The prosecution and the families of the victims appealed because they said the sentences were too heavy. They asked for the maximum penalty, that is, life imprisonment.

The prosecution described Abdelkader Merah as his brother's mentor and said that he had helped to radicalize his younger brother. But Merah has always denied helping her brother Mohamed prepare for the attacks.

Latifa Ibn Ziaten, the mother of the first victim, said she expected more worthy debates this time.

"I wait for the truth and justice is done. [The last trial] was a painful process, "she said.

The appeal hearing is scheduled to end on April 19.

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