Thursday's session of the Paris terror trial, the 94th day of a legal marathon which is likely to last at least another three months, was overshadowed by the decision of two of the accused . . . Osama Krayem and Sofien Ayari . . . to remain silent. A third suspect, Mohamed Bakkali, has also indicated that he will no longer answer questions.
Every person accused before a French court has the right to say nothing.
In the case of Sofien Ayari, the silence is regrettable. Ayari has already distinguished himself among the prisoners as articulate, coherent and sincerely sympathetic to the anguish of the victims and their families.
He's worth listening to.
In an earlier session, in February, Ayari testified without detours or fake memory lapses about his involvement with Islamic State.
He enlisted for political, not religious reasons. He was seriously wounded in battle.
Six years on, he is prepared to admit that his actions on behalf of the terrorist wing of IS might have been misguided.
Last month he explained that he wished to testify because his evidence might help the mother of a victim who had particularly touched him during the five weeks of testimony from the families of the Paris victims.
"She reminded me of my own mother," he said at the time. "I can't give her back her daughter, but I owe her at least an explanation." And he went on to answer questions, with clarity and intelligence, for nearly six hours.
On Thursday, he had a different point of view.
'The same crimes, the same questions . . .'
Sofien Ayari explained his decision to remain silent to his defence counsel, saying: "I'm already serving 20 years following a different trial. I risk life imprisonment in this court, and I've other charges to answer in Belgium after that."
The charges against him are, indeed, grave. The 20-year sentence already handed down is for shooting at police officers in Belgium. Ayari risks a further 30 years at the end of this Paris trial. And he will then face a life sentence if found guilty of participating in the 2016 Brussels attacks.
"I'm going to spend two years defending myself like a madman, accused of the same crimes, with the same questions, the same people.
"And all that for 80 years in jail at the end.
"It is dangerous for people like me to have any hope!"
'Justice is an illusion'
Osama Krayem has no hope. This Swedish national has systematically boycotted the Paris trial since last November, emerging from the holding cells only when ordered to do so by the court, to hear evidence directly concerning himself.
He refuses to talk.
In a letter to the tribunal in November he explained that he believed justice was an illusion and that his fate had already been decided. He believes any further contribution to the proceedings would be a waste of time.
On Thursday, he refused the headphones which allow non-French-speakers to follow a translated version of proceedings.
A family affair?
Thursday's third witness, Yassine Atar, did answer questions. At great length and with enthusiasm.
When the court president suggested one hypothesis, Atar shot back with his own version of the same events.
The evidence against him is largely based on associations established from telephone records. Yassine Atar's personal situation is complicated in terms of links to known terrorists.
His brother, Oussama Atar, organised the Paris attacks from the Islamic State heartland in Syria. Atar's cousins, Ibrahim and Khalid El Bakraoui, died in the 2016 Brussels terrorist bombings. Two of his co-accused in this trial, Ali El Haddad Asufi and Mohamed Bakkali, were among Atar's close acquaintances.
None of which makes Yassine Atar guilty of anything.
He is suspected of helping to house some of the Paris attackers in October 2015, an accusation which he vehemently denies.
The trial continues.
