A French jihadist went on trial Thursday on terror charges amid accusations that he oversaw executions in Syria as a senior figure in the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, reports FRANCE 24.
Tyler Vilus, 30, is facing charges of belonging to a terrorist group, heading a unit of IS group fighters and "aggravated murder" between 2013 and 2015. He faces a life sentence if convicted.
Investigators suspect him of being part of the "Al-Muhajireen" (the immigrants) brigade, a squadron that tortured and carried out summary executions, which he denies.
Vilus is also accused of supervising executions as a member of the religious police in the north-eastern Syrian town of Ash Shaddadi, close to the Iraqi border.
In a 2015 video published by the IS group's media department, a man alleged to be Vilus is two metres away as two kneeling and blindfolded prisoners – one belonging to the Free Syrian Army rebel fighters and the other a member of Bashar al-Assad's army – are executed with a bullet to the head.