It was time for the indictment, the trial of the “ghost” Douha Mounib, who presents herself today as ” repented “. Against this midwife by training, prosecuted for terrorist criminal association for having twice joined the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria between 2013 and 2017, and having given birth to several women on the spot, the Advocate General requested 14 years prison, accompanied by a two-thirds security period. Rather heavy requisitions, as the Advocate General herself pointed out.
With our special correspondent at the special assize court
” I’m asking for a significant quantum, I’m aware of that, but I’ll explain why “begins the Advocate General. Firstly there is “ the intrinsic seriousness of the facts “: having joined the IS, ” weighed down by the particular circumstance of having taken with her a baby “, and the repeated attempts to go there for a long period during which “ his determination never wavered “.
But Douha Mounib recognized the ” globality of these facts, the issue therefore concerns the credit given to his repentance. But the magistrate sees several reasons to doubt. And in the first place, Douha Mounib “ minimizes the facts, and therefore does not assume full responsibility “, she believes. In particular by claiming that her husband never fought and that she herself never saw abuses.
But also by watering down her motivations behind her activity as a midwife: without contesting the ” humanitarian of childbirth, the Advocate General believes that this gives her a ” senior role ” to the lambda role of women on site, because this type of function was “ essential to IS “as part of its policy” settlement and training of future combatants “.
The magistrate also questions the demonstrated willingness of the accused to be accountable to justice “, in particular by refusing to give details of his entourage in the area. And then there is the personality of Douha Mounib: “ A hard-line young woman who has long persisted in radical ideology “, which raises the question of the reality of his ” ideological disengagement » ; just like his extreme determination as to the facts alleged “but also in his” rather spectacular escape attempt prepared over several weeks “at the end of 2021 marks, for the Advocate General, ” his desire to evade the action of justice “.
” Is the change displayed today real? I don’t know, I’m not in his head. But for the interests of the society I represent, I will take the bet not to believe her “, concludes the magistrate.
► To read also: On the first day of his trial, Douha Mounib presents himself in repentance