Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel

The trial opened in Paris on Monday of eight people accused of involvement in a terrorist attack in the Riviera city of Nice in July 2016, when Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel drove a heavy truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, causing the deaths of 86 people and injuring hundreds of others. But, as Matthieu Suc reports, the more than 850 civil parties – including direct and indirect victims – are likely to be left frustrated by the hearings, not only because of the absence of Bouhlel who died in a firefight with police, but also because of the weakness of the cases against the accused.

Three new arrests were made on Sunday as French investigators attempt to establish whether Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, the 31-year-old Tunisian who drove a heavy truck into Bastille Day crowds in Nice on Thursday, killing 84 people, received help from accomplices in preparing the massacre. Fresh evidence emerged this weekend suggesting he had carefully planned the attack, including CCTV footage of him reconnoitring the scene earlier last week. But despite a claim by the Islamic State group that Bouhlel was a "soldier" for the jihadist group, his motive remained unclear. Meanwhile, French health minister Marisol Touraine said on Sunday that “about 85 people” were still hospitalised after the carnage on July 14th, of which 18, including a child, were in a life-threatening condition. Graham Tearse reports.