PARIS—The key defendant in the 2015 Paris attacks trial said Wednesday the coordinated killings were in retaliation for French airstrikes on the ISIS terrorist group, calling the deaths of 130 innocent people “nothing personal” as he acknowledged his role for the first time.
Salah Abdeslam, who wore all black and declined to remove his mask as he spoke in a custom-built courtroom, has been silent throughout the investigation. Observers were waiting to see if he would offer any details during the trial.
