Six months after the November terror attacks, survivors and family members of the 130 people killed in coordinated attacks across Paris met Tuesday with the justices in charge of the ongoing investigation, seeking closure to the deadliest incident on French soil since 1945, reports the Chicago Tribune.
During a three-day hearing that began on Tuesday, more than 1,000 people touched by the attacks demanded specifics on how their loved ones died and how such a tragedy could have happened in a city like Paris. Most of those who died were shot as they watched a concert, others while they drank and chatted with friends at cafes.
The November bloodshed was ultimately claimed by the Islamic State, whose operatives largely planned their attacks from nearby Brussels. The same cell of terrorists then carried out the March 22 attacks on the Belgian capital's international airport and metro system as authorities began to close in on their network.
"The victims need direct contact with the judges," said Juliette Méadel, the secretary of state responsible for victim support, in an interview.
"They can pose many questions about the investigation and about what happened. The judges are the only ones who can speak precisely and who can verify details."
For survivors and families, many details remain unclear.
As Georges Salines, who lost his daughter Lola, 29, at the Bataclan theater, asked the French newspaper Le Monde: "How is work being organized with Belgian investigators? Will Mohamed Abrini be interviewed in Belgium or in France? How many people can be held accountable and prosecuted? Can we see that the Franco-Belgian cell was dismantled and taken out of harm's way?"