The vest, abandoned by Abdeslam on a pavement in Paris, was subjected to laboratory tests to prove that it cannot have been working on the night of the attacks.

An expert report requested by investigating judges responsible for the investigation into the November 13th, 2015 Paris attacks, showed that the suicide vest worn by Abdeslam was not working that night. France Inter, which has been able to see this report, indicated as such on Thursday.

The vest, abandoned by Abdeslam on a pavement in the French capital was subjected to laboratory tests. The French radio station reports that it has emerged the vest was defective. A cable at the front was damaged and a small component of the detonator was broken at the back of the jacket, thus meaning that the electric current could not flow, and therefore the device was unable to operate properly.

On the evening of the attacks, Salah Abdeslam had given up the idea of blowing himself up that night, abandoning both his car and the suicide vest. The investigators observed afterwards that the device lacked both a battery and the push-button for this vest. Furthermore, France Inter also stated that three friends of Abdeslam, the sole survivor of the Paris-attacks perpetrators, had given evidence to the effect that he told them the vest had not been working.

Oscar Schneider

The Brussels Times