Sven Mary attacked for defending Abdeslam

Belgian criminal defence lawyer Sven Mary on Tuesday was attacked by a person who deplored him for representing the accused terrorist Salah Abdeslam, writes Le Soir on its website. The lawyer was able to overpower the attacker, he told the newspaper, before returning to his office and promptly closing it “to ensure the safety of his staff”.

The lawyer has already received hundreds of hate mails and threats since his decision to defend Abdeslam, but so far refuses to ask for police protection.

In the wake of Tuesday's terror attacks in Brussels, Mary yesterday suggested that he might regret taking on the position of defence lawyer for Abdeslam.