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This article examines the trial of the January 2015 terror attacks in light of international trials that involved significant number of victims as civil parties. It shows that the gap that exists in terrorism trials between the harm done to victims and the charges brought against the accused risks creating irreconcilable expectations. This discrepancy can also lead the defense to denounce a show trial that undermines equality of arms. Thus, both civil parties and defendants risk falling victim to the excesses of anti-terrorist justice.