French press review 15 December 2016

A Frenchman accused of fighting as a jihadist in Syria warns his judges against sentencing him to more than 18 months in jail. And the Paris dailies all ask what has gone wrong with the latest Aleppo cease-fire.

"If you send me to prison for more than 18 months, I warn you, I'll return to armed combat." That was the message from Nicolas Moreau yesterday to the Paris court which yesterday found him guilty of spending a year and a half as a jihadist in the Syria-Iraq war zone. The story is in Le Monde. Moreau is accused of association with those planning terrorist attacks. The prosecution has called for a sentence of ten years.

Moreau told the judge that he would not take a long prison sentence lying down. The judge said he was surprised by such a defence strategy but accepted that it had the merit of being honest.

Two years ago Moreau's brother, Flavien, was the first French national to be tried for jihadist crimes on his return from Syria. He is currently serving a seven-year term.

Nicolas Moreau has already been convicted on 14 occasions, for public disorder, armed violence, robbery and drug use.

He claims to have left the ranks of Islamic State because of the brutality and because he no longer wished to fight in Iraq. Moreau says he cooperated with the French intelligence services after his return, including passing on information concerning those subsequently involved in the Brussels and Bataclan attacks. He claims that the authorities did not take him seriously until it was too late.

When, at the end of yesterday's hearing, the judge asked Nicolas Moreau if he had anything to add, the accused addressed the prosecution saying: "Sir, I think you are weak and ridiculous. You have the intellectual capacity of a market trader."

Sentence will be handed down on 2 January.

Aleppo cease-fire submerged by new barrage of bombs

Otherwise, the front pages are all devoted to Syria and the failure of the latest efforts to evacuate civilians, the injured and anti-regime rebels from eastern parts of the city of Aleppo.

Le Monde says a new round of bombing attacks by regime forces and their Russian allies yesterday prevented the planned departure of civilians and anti-government fighters.

Le Figaro says yesterday's truce has been blown to bits by the latest upsurge in fighting. Both sides blame the other for the collapse of the cease-fire.

Libération's cover shows a father holding a child, waiting in the rain to be evacuated yersterday, and the question "Why has this been allowed to happen?" The answer, according to Libé, is because the world has repeatedly turned its back on the terrible realities of the Syrian situation, leaving the civilian population to its own devices because of geopolitical cowardice and calculation.